MALAYSIAN AIR ASIA AIRBUS 320-200 155 PAX & 7 CREW LOSES CONTACT WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL - AIR SEARCH UNDERWAY

 

 

Julian Bray Aviation Secuity & Airline Operations Expert [01733 345581 ISDN 01733 345020] comments:

Another blow for a Malaysian based airline, as an AirAsia flight  QZ 8501 travelling from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore lost contact with air traffic control early Sunday morning, says the airlines operations centre. The airline is owned by Tony Fernandez who also owns QPR Football Club in the UK and is a record industry major producer. 

Flight QZ 8501 -- an Airbus 320-200 -- lost communication with Indonesia's Surabaya Juanda International Airport at 7:24 Singapore time on Sunday morning, 

The Air Asia Airbus 320-200  took off at 5:20 a.m. and was scheduled to land at 8:30 a.m. local time.

A map showing the original filed flight  plan/path of the AirAsia plane.

According to Indonesian transport officials, 155 passengers and 7 crew members were on board the flight. Trikora Raharjo, the general manager of Surabaya's Juanda airport, said passengers include one Singaporean, one British, one Malaysian, three South Koreans -- including one infant -- and 149 Indonesians. This figure has now been challenged and revised upwards

 

Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa Djuraid said "The weather was not good -- it was bad -- at the estimated location the plane lost contact. We just received a weather report from the national meteorological, geophysics and climatology agency,"

Indonesian Airforce spokesman Marsma Hadi Tjahjanto confirmed the air force is using the last point of contact to conduct an air search. AirAsia has set up an Emergency Call Centre for family or friends of those who may have been on board the flight. The number is +622 1298-50801.

AirAsia released a statement on its Facebook feed early Sunday morning:

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.

The plane that lost contact with air traffic control is an Airbus A320-200.

 

JULIAN BRAY 01733 345581, Journalist, Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Operations, Travel / Cruise Industry Expert, EQUITY, NUJ, Broadcast ISDN 01733 345020 SKYPE: JULIAN.BRAY.UK e&oe > Updates are on the Website