UPDATE (30 Dec – 609PM) The total count of bodies that have been recovered from the search area is now more than 40, according to Indonesian navy. More below.
UPDATE (30 Dec – 418PM): The SAR team has begin to retrieve bodies that seen floating not far from where the debris was found. They have also spotted what seemed to be shadow of the aircraft underneath the water. More below.
UPDATE (30 Dec – 318PM): Indonesian authorities has confirmed that the debris found earlier today were from QZ8501. The SAR team has also spotted people nearby the debris although they are now working to verify it. Read more for info.
UPDATE (30 Dec – 208PM): Indonesian officials claim to have found “big objects” that resemble aircraft parts about 10km where flight QZ8501 was last spotted. More below.
UPDATE (29 Dec – 800PM): The SAR operation for AirAsia flight QZ8501 goes into day 2 this morning with additional help from Australia but unfortunately, the aircraft is still yet to be found even as the aerial search has been halted for the second time. It will continue once again tomorrow morning.
UPDATE (811PM): While Malaysia and Singapore have now joined the Search and Rescue effort that is led by Indonesian authorities, the operation has now been put on hold and will be continued tomorrow morning. The nationalities of passengers and crews have also been corrected. Read more for further info.
UPDATE (241PM): Astro Awani has published recordings of QZ8501 press conference by authorities in Indonesia as recorded by Kompas TV. Read more for info.
UPDATE (218pm): FlightRadar24 has released the estimated location of the flight before it lost contact with Indonesian’s air traffic control. Indonesian authorities apparently has also stated that the flight is only equipped with 4.5 hours of fuel. Read more for info.
UPDATE (123pm): AirAsia has released additional updates regarding number of passengers, brief flight history of the aircraft and the communication status just before QZ8501 lost contact with air traffic control. Read more for info.
ORIGINAL NEWS (1238pm):
AirAsia has confirmed that its flight QZ8501 has lost contact with air traffic control at 724am today. The Airbus A320-200 aircraft was en route from Surabaya to Singapore.
The fate of the aircraft is not yet known at the moment though. Here is the official statement by AirAsia at 1141am:
AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control at 07:24hrs this morning.
At the present time we unfortunately have no further information regarding the status of the passengers and crew members on board, but we will keep all parties informed as more information becomes available.
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC.
At this time, search and rescue operations are in progress and AirAsia is cooperating fully and assisting the rescue service.
AirAsia has established an Emergency Call Centre that is available for family or friends of those who may have been on board the aircraft. The number is: +622129850801.
UPDATE (123pm): Another official update from AirAsia:
AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control at 07:24 (Surabaya LT) this morning. The flight took off from Juanda International Airport in Surabaya at 0535hours.
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC. There were two pilots, four 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 Korean
156 Indonesia
At this time, search and rescue operations are being conducted under the guidance of The Indonesia of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). AirAsia Indonesia is cooperating fully and assisting the investigation in every possible way.
The aircraft was on the submitted flight plan route and was requesting deviation due to enroute weather before communication with the aircraft was lost while it was still under the control of the Indonesian Air Traffic Control (ATC).
The aircraft had undergone its last scheduled maintenance on 16 November 2014.
UPDATE (218pm): The last known location of QZ8501 before it lost contact with Indonesian air traffic control, according to FlightRadar24:
This is an estimated position of #QZ8501 at 23:18 UTC when AirNav Indonesia say they lost radar contact pic.twitter.com/IMMht5xbEG
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 28, 2014
Additionally, the aircraft is most probably not able to fly anymore at the moment as it should be out of fuel by now:
#Update Indonesia's authorities: there is no possibility for missing flight #QZ8501 to continue flying. Only had fuel for 4.5hrs.
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) December 28, 2014
UPDATE (241PM): Astro Awani has published recordings of QZ8501 press conference by authorities in Indonesia as recorded by Kompas TV. The link for the two-part video are as below:
UPDATE (814PM): AirAsia has released statement to correct the nationality list of the passengers and crews on board QZ8501:
AirAsia Indonesia would like to issue a correction on the nationality breakdown of passenger and crew on board QZ8501 as follows:
Nationalities of passengers:
1 Singapore
1 Malaysia
3 South Korea
1 United Kingdom
149 Indonesia
Nationalities of crew:
1 France
6 Indonesia
AirAsia will release further information as soon as it becomes available.
Meanwhile, Malaysia and Singapore have joined the SAR effort as well through the deployment of several army vessels and C-130 Hercules aircraft.
However, Indonesian authorities have now halted the SAR operation due to decreasing level of visibility. The operation will be continued tomorrow morning at 7am or even earlier if weather permits.
UPDATE (29 Dec – 800PM): The second day of SAR operation to locate the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 kicked off at 600am local time according to official statement from AirAsia. Australia joined Malaysia and Singapore who have lend their help to the operation but despite that, the aircraft is still yet to be found even until the Indonesia authorities decided to halt the aerial search for today.
The Australian plane has actually found unidentified objects during its search but it was later determined that the debris was not from the missing aircraft. That being said, Indonesian authorities is now working to determine if the oil slicks found in Pulau Belitung actually belongs to QZ8501 or else.
UPDATE (30 Dec – 208PM) Indonesian officials have found objects that resemble aircraft parts including an emergency slide, plane door and other objects about 10km from the last known location of flight QZ8501. Indonesian air force official Agus Dwi Putranto said:
We spotted about 10 big objects and many more small white-coloured objects which we could not photograph… It is not really clear… it could be the wall of the plane or the door of the plane.
Let’s pray that those objects are what we are really trying to find.
The AFP has tweeted one of the images, embedded below:
Photo taken from an Indonesian aircraft over the Java Sea shows possible plane debris from the missing AirAsia flight pic.twitter.com/vh7mvBqdgZ
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 30, 2014
Objects possibly from @airasia flight #QZ8501 seen floating in Java Sea: officials http://t.co/E2XZcFvZxf pic.twitter.com/qjuMYSbk20
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) December 30, 2014
UPDATE (30 Dec – 318PM):
Indonesian authorities has confirmed that the debris found earlier today were from QZ8501, according to AFP.
#BREAKING Debris 'from AirAsia plane': Indonesian civil aviation
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 30, 2014
The SAR team has also spotted people nearby the debris and they are now working to verify it.
#AirAsia #QZ8501: Indonesian navy says authorities checking to see if sightings are bodies or people still alive
— ST Foreign Desk (@STForeignDesk) December 30, 2014
#AirAsia flight #QZ8501: Sea depth in debris area between 25-30 metres. Submersible vehicles to be used for deeper dive: Basarnas chief
— ST Foreign Desk (@STForeignDesk) December 30, 2014
UPDATE (30 Dec – 418PM): The SAR team has begin to retrieve bodies that seen floating not far from where the debris was found.
Bodies found off Indonesia, swollen but intact, have been brought to an Indonesian navy ship, search agency chief says – @AP
— Breaking News (@BreakingNews) December 30, 2014
BREAKING: Indonesian helicopters have spotted 3-6 bodies floating at sea, says MetroTV #QZ8501
— TODAY (@TODAYonline) December 30, 2014
Officials have also spotted more debris what seemed to be a shadow of the aircraft. underneath the water:
#AirAsia flight #QZ8501: Plane spots ‘shadow’ on seabed believed to be AirAsia jet: Indonesia search chief
— ST Foreign Desk (@STForeignDesk) December 30, 2014
Meanwhile, the CEO of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes has expressed his condolences on Twitter regarding the find and is now heading to Surabaya once again to assist in the situation.
https://twitter.com/tonyfernandes/status/549840195579703296
https://twitter.com/tonyfernandes/status/549840388307947521
UPDATE (30 Dec – 609PM) The total count of bodies that have been recovered from the search area is now more than 40, according to Indonesian navy. There were a total of 162 people on the flight which were on its way to Singapore from Surabaya.
#BREAKING: More than 40 bodies retrieved in AirAsia search: Indonesian navy
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 30, 2014
Here is a comparison of the airplane and debris/bodies locations, according to FlightRadar24:
Graphics showing last location of #QZ8501 on Flightradar24 and location where debris and bodies have been found pic.twitter.com/DYtDmO2ZGg
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 30, 2014
Some of the items that the authorities have retrieved were also presented to media:
#QZ8501: Indonesian official show items retrieved from the Java sea during search and rescue operations. pic.twitter.com/NrTQnTbtZv
— New Straits Times (@NST_Online) December 30, 2014
We concluded our coverage on the search of aircraft right here as authorities starts their recovery operation on the victims of the ill-fated flight. Our heartfelt condolences to those who have lost their families and loved ones on board AirAsia QZ8501.
[Aircraft image: leonardo kosasih]
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