Translation from English

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Yet Another Air Disaster- Plane from Indonesia to Singapore- BBC

AirAsia QZ8501: Indonesia 

plane search resumes

Relative pores over passenger manifests at Surabaya airport, 28 DecRelatives pored over passenger manifests at both affected airports

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The search has resumed for AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501, which has gone missing with 162 people on board, an Indonesian official has said.

The Airbus A320-200 disappeared over the Java Sea early on Sunday en route to Singapore from Surabaya, Indonesia.

The pilots had requested a course change due to bad weather but did not send any distress call before the plane disappeared from radar screens.

AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes said this was his "worst nightmare".
The search began as soon as possible on Sunday but was largely suspended as night fell.

Although some ships continued the hunt overnight, the main search planes and vessels, from several nations, resumed at first light.
Indonesian transport ministry official Tatang Kurniadi said: "Our primary task is to find the plane. We are co-operating with every possible department, and relevant countries.

Map
"This includes the department responsible for aircraft design, the aircraft manufacturer from France, and relevant operational teams from AirAsia and Malaysia."

Bambang Soelistyo, the head of the Indonesian search-and-rescue team, said his nation was providing 12 ships, three helicopters and five military aircraft.

Malaysia was to deploy a C-130 plane, along with three ships, with Singapore lending a C-130 and Australia also providing help.

AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes addresses the media and relatives
The search area is near Belitung island.
AirAsia's share price fell 11.6% in early trading on Monday in Kuala Lumpur.
Storm clouds
Flight QZ8501 had left Surabaya in eastern Java at 05:35 local time on Sunday (22:35 GMT Saturday) and was due to arrive in Singapore at 08:30 (00:30 GMT).

Last contact was at 06:24 local time.

Dense storm clouds were reported in the area at the time the plane lost contact.
Co-pilot Remi Emmanuel Plesel  (left) and Captain IriyantoCo-pilot Remi Emmanuel Plesel (left) and Captain Iriyanto
The missing AirAsia Airbus,  December 2014The Airbus, pictured here on an earlier flight, disappeared about an hour after takeoff 
The pilot had asked permission to climb to 38,000ft (11,000m) to avoid the clouds.

Indonesian officials said the request could not be immediately approved due to traffic, but the plane disappeared from the radar screens before the pilots gave any further response.

Mr Fernandes flew to Surabaya and later said: "We are very devastated by what's happened, it's unbelievable.

"Our concern right now is for the relatives and for the next of kin - there is nothing more important to us, for our crew's family, and for the passengers' families."

A woman leaves the cordoned off area in Changi airport in Singapore, 28 DecA woman leaves the cordoned off area in Changi airport in Singapore
Rescuers check search coordinates in Surabaya, 28 DecRescuers check search coordinates in Surabaya
Oceanographer Simon Boxall told the BBC the plane should not be too difficult to find if it went into the water.

The sea floor is within diver depth, he says, and it would be "likely that they'll get answers within a few days".

Difficult year

The AirAsia Indonesia plane in question was delivered in 2008, has flown 13,600 times, completing 23,000 hours, and underwent its last maintenance on 16 November.

FOR MORE OF THIS STORY/ VIDEO:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30620647



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