Search and locate operations have resumed for the missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501 on Monday (29th Dec), which went missing en route from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore early Sunday (28th Dec) morning. It had been expected to arrive in Singapore at 8:30am on Sunday but lost contact with air traffic control over the Java Sea.
The 6-year-old Airbus A320-200 aircraft had requested to deviate from its submitted flight plan due to bad weather before communication was lost with Indonesian Air Traffic Control, AirAsia said in a statement.
As confirmed by AirAsia, the aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC. There were 2 pilots, 4 flight attendants, and one engineer on board. The captain in command had a total of 6,100 flying hours and the first officer a total of 2,275 flying hours.
There were 155 passengers on board, with 138 adults, 16 children, and 1 infant. Also on board were 2 pilots and 5 cabin crew. Nationalities of passengers and crew onboard are as below:
- 1 Singapore
- 1 Malaysia
- 1 France
- 3 South Korea
- 156 Indonesia
Malaysian news outlet News Strait Times tweeted that the Malaysian passenger onboard the missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501 has been identified as Sii Chung Huei, a Jakarta-based businessman from Kuching:
#QZ8501: Sole Malaysian passenger identified as Sii Chung Huei, Jakarta-based businessman from Kuching, AirAsia informed relatives — New Straits Times (@NST_Online) December 28, 2014
AirAsia Bhd group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, who described this to be his worst nightmare, is in Surabaya to lend support for the search and rescue operations. He also confirmed it via his Twitter account.
The Indonesia’s Ministry of Transportation has since released the names of everybody on the flight and a trim sheet with information about the plane:
Also, through this both critical and difficult time, leaders from around the world are offering comfort, words of support, with some pledging assistance:
Currently at @airasia HQ to support our team in this moment of crisis. Let us lend our support to them #PrayForQZ8501 pic.twitter.com/R4k69tbyoL — Liow Tiong Lai (@liowtionglai) December 28, 2014
Our hearts and hopes are with the passengers and families of AirAsia QZ8501.
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) December 28, 2014
Very sad to hear that AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 is missing. My thoughts are with the families. Malaysia stands ready to help. — Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) December 28, 2014
Kita doakan bersama semoga pesawat AirAsia QZ8501 Sby-Sin yg hilang kontak segera ditemukan dan seluruh penumpang serta awak pesawat selamat
— Jusuf Kalla (@Pak_JK) December 28, 2014
Called Pres @jokowi_do2 to offer help. Two RSAF C-130 search & locate aircrafts are on standby. Our ministers will follow up. – LHL #QZ8501 — Lee Hsien Loong (@leehsienloong) December 28, 2014
The search and rescue/locate mission was called off yesterday as night fell, but it’s back on this morning. The Republic of Singapore Navy’s RSS Valour and RSS Supreme have set sail from Singapore for the search area.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s C-130 aircrafts (2 in total) have also set off from Singapore to join the search for QZ8501.
First Admiral Sigit Setiayana, the Naval Aviation Center Commander at the Surabaya air force base, told The Associated Press that 12 navy ships, 5 planes, 3 helicopters, and a number of warships were searching an area of east and southeast Belitung island and nearby waters.
Developing story.
Sources: AirAsia’s official statement, CNA, TIME, AsiaOne, ABC.
