AirAsia Flight Crashes In Java Sea, 162 Pax Feared Dead

According to reports the AirAsia flight QZ8501from Indonesia to Singapore which lost contact with the ATC has crashed in the Java Sea. The wreckage has been found in the waters off East Belitung, off the east coast of Sumatra. 

AirAsia flight from Indonesia to Singapore with 162 people on-board reportedly went missing today after losing contact with air traffic controllers.

Flight QZ8501 lost contact with Jakarta air traffic control just after 07:24am local time, a transport official told local media.

Contact with the plane was lost 42 minutes after takeoff. There was no Indian national on board.

The plane took off from Surabaya (Indonesia) at 5.20 am local time and was scheduled to land at Singapore's Changi airport at 8.30 am.

The aircraft was an Airbus A320-200 with the registration number PK-AXC.

Indonesian Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa said the plane had asked for an unusual route before it lost contact, local media reported.

The plane lost contact somewhere between Kalimantan and Belitung island, Hadi was quoted as saying.

An Indonesian transport official confirmed that seven crew and 155 passengers were on board.

Indonesian TV are reporting there were 149 Indonesians, three Koreans, one Singaporean, one Briton and one Malaysian on board. 

The Singapore airport said on its website the status of the flight was "delayed".

Here is AirAsia's statement on the incident as posted to Facebook:

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.

AirAsia will release further information as soon as it becomes available. Updated information will also be posted on the AirAsia website, www.airasia.com.