Basarnas Looking For Signals Of Missing AirAsia Q8501

Tangerang, Banten, Dec 29 (Antara) - The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) is looking for signals of the missing AirAsia QZ8501 aircraft that served the Surabaya (East Java)-Singapore route. "The search continues for AirAsia Indonesian Flight No. QZ8501. Now, we focus on the signals from the aircraft to determine the location pointing to the missing plane," Basarnas Head Henry Bambang Sulistyo stated here on Monday. He also reiterated that the Basarnas has deployed all its resources in the search for the missing AirAsia jet. The search area was focused on the last location of the missing AirAsia aircraft. He also urged the families of those onboard the missing jet to not believe in any information unless it was provided by the Basarnas. "Do not be tempted to believe in information that is not clear as the correct information will only come from the Basarnas," he remarked. As reported, the AirAsia Airbus A320-200 was scheduled to land at 8:30 a.m. Singapore time. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Iriyanto and First Officer (FO) Remi Emmanuel Plesel, and crew members comprising Wanti Setiawati, Khairunnisa Haidar Fauzi, Oscar Desano, Wismoyo Ari Prambudi, and technician Saiful Rakhmad. The jet was carrying 155 passengers comprising 138 adults, 16 children, and an infant. As per other information received, air traffic control officer of Soekarno Hatta Airport reported that the last coordinates of the aircraft were recorded at 03:09:15 location southern latitude and 111.28.21 location eastern longitude. Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan stated that an AirAsia flight QZ8501 has lost contact over the Java Sea between Tanjung Pandan on Belitung Island, Sumatra, and Pontianak, Kalimantan Island.