Vanished AirAsia Calls for British Rescue-Search Cooperation

Liputan6.com, Jakarta An AirAsia plane with the flight number of QZ 8501 bound for Singapore, departing from Surabaya, Indonesia is reported to have lost contact with the Indonesian air- traffic control shortly after take- off on Sunday (12/28/2014). The Airbus A320-200 last contact with the tower was at 06.17 local time when it flew above the west kalimantan area and its presence remains unknown hitherto. This major incident is marked as third unwanted tragedy to occur following the MH17 and MH370.

The low-cost carrier was carrying 162 passengers took off at approximately 05.36 am local time and was expected to land in Singapore at 08.30 am local time. Among the passengers, 155 Indonesians, 1 Singaporean, 1 Malaysian, 3 South Korean and 1 British and 1 French who happens to be the co-pilot of the missing plane. They include 16 children and one 1 infant. The plane initially flew at the normal height of 32 thousand feet or as commonly known as flight level plan 320.

Bad weather is assumed to be the primary impetus to this incident. Due to the presence of victims from various countries apart from Indonesia, representatives from each nation’s victims immediately seek for joint search and rescue cooperation with Indonesia and other Southeast Asian Nations. While search is still under way, the Indonesian government is setting up a missing flight hotline: +62219850801 for those who wish to gain information and remain updated until the carrier is located.

The British Embassy in Jakarta provides a nationwide statement to clarify the United Kingdom intention in joining the search and rescue endeavour. One of the passengers in that flight was British and this only enhances the British’s willingness to involve themselves in finding the currently still missing plane.

"We are aware of reports of Air Asia flight incident QZ 8501. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers and the affected families. We are aware of reports of a British national on board and we are liaising urgently with the local authorities to establish further details," stated by the British Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia this afternoon (12/28/2014). (Akp/Riz)