KUALA LUMPUR: AirAsia Indonesia today confirms that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control.
“AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control at 7.24am this morning.
“There were 155 passengers on board, with 138 adults, 16 children and one infant. Also on board were two pilots, four flight attendants and one engineer, accumulated to 162 people.
“The nationalities of passengers and crews onboard are as follows: 157 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one Singaporean and one Malaysian,” it said in a statement post on the airline's Facebook page.
AirAsia also stated that the captain in command had a total of 6,100 flying hours and the first officer a total of 2,275 flying hours.
The aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC.
“At this time, search and rescue operations are being conducted under the guidance of The Indonesia of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Air Asia 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,” it said in the statement.
AirAsia added that the aircraft had undergone its last schedule maintenance on Nov 16.
“An Emergency Call Centre that is available for family or friends of those who may have been onboard the aircraft has been established. The number to dial is +622129850801.
“AirAsia will release further information as soon as it becomes available. Updated information will also be posted on the AirAsia website at www.airasia.com,” the post read.
Meanwhile, members of the media are requested not to call the AirAsia Emergency Call Centre, as the line is reserved for family members seeking information about those who may have been onboard.
The flight took off from Juanda International Airport in Surabaya at 5.35am and lost contact with air traffic control at 7.24am.
Meanwhile, the general manager of Surabaya's Juanda airport said the plane lost contact when it was believed to be over the Java Sea between Kalimantan and the Java islands.
An official with the country’s Transport Ministry claimed that the plane has asked for an ‘unusual route’ before it lost contact, saying the weather in the area was ‘cloudy’.
AirAsia’s group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes had earlier tweeted for a strong resolve from the public.
“Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. We must stay strong,” the tweet read.