Indonesia plane crash Highlights : As rescue agency suggests no survivors likely, President Widodo says ‘keep on praying’
Indonesia’s disaster agency says a Lion Air passenger jet crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta and was carrying 188 passengers and crew.Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the aircraft, on a 1 hour and 10 minute flight to Pangkal Pinang on an island chain off Sumatra, was carrying 189 passengers, including one child and two babies, and eight crew members. Photos: Lion Air plane crashes minutes after take-off from Jakarta, 189 onboard
7:35 pm IST
Pope offers condolences for plane crash
Pope Francis has conveyed his condolences to those affected by the crash of a jetliner minutes after taking off from Indonesia’s capital, likely killing all 189 people on board.
6:35 pm IST
PM Modi condoles death of plane crash victims
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday condoled the death of nearly 190 people in an Indonesian plane crash.
The Indonesia Lion Air flight crashed into the sea with 189 passengers and crew aboard and no survivors were expected, reports said.
5:05 pm IST
Most unfortunate that Indian Pilot Bhavye Suneja lost his life: Indian Embassy
“Our deepest condolences on the tragic loss of lives in the Lion Air Plane crash, off the coast of Jakarta today. Most unfortunate that Indian Pilot Bhavye Suneja who was flying JT610 also lost his life,” Indian Embassy in Indonesia said in a tweet.
“Embassy is in touch with Crisis Center and coordinating for all assistance,” it said.
4:45 pm IST
Australia tells officials to not fly Lion Air
Australia’s foreign affairs ministry says Australian government officials and contractors “have been instructed not to fly on Lion Air or their subsidiary airlines” following the crash of a Lion Air jet carrying 189 people.
The statement posted on the ministry’s website said the decision will be reviewed when the findings of the crash investigation are clear.
It said its overall level of travel advice for Indonesia was unchanged from its recommendation to exercise a high degree of caution.
4:20 pm IST
President Joko Widodo urges Indonesians to keep on praying
More than 300 people including soldiers, police and local fishermen were involved in the search that has also recovered ID cards, personal belongings and aircraft debris. At least a dozen ambulances were parked at a nearby beach, reports news agency Associated Press.
President Joko Widodo ordered the transport safety commission to investigate and urged Indonesians to “keep on praying” as rescuers search for victims.
3:49pm IST
Rescue agency says ‘likely’ all 189 aboard crashed Lion Air jet dead
Indonesia search and rescue says ‘likely’ all 189 aboard crashed Lion Air jet dead, reports AFP news agency
An agency official estimated there would be no survivors from the Lion Air plane that crashed into the sea north of Java Island on Monday. “We need to find the main wreckage,” Bambang Suryo, operational director of the agency, told reporters. “I predict there are no survivors, based on body parts found so far.”
3:42pm IST
Jakarta embassy confirms death of Indian pilot in crash
Indian embassy in Jakarta confirms death of Indian pilot Bhavye Suneja in Lion Air plane crash, reports PTI.
3:10pm IST
Families of plane crash passengers wait for news
Images filmed at Pangkal Pinang’s main airport showed families of passengers crying and hugging each other, with some yelling “Oh god”.
“This morning he called asking about our youngest son,” said a sobbing Ermayati, referring to her 45-year-old husband Muhammed Syafii, who was on board.
“I still hope for a miracle that some passengers are still alive,” said Sendi Arika, whose uncle was on the flight.
2:22pm IST
Rescuers retrieve body parts from Lion Air crash site
Indonesian rescuers retrieved body parts on Monday after a Lion Air plane crashed into the sea shortly after take-off from the capital, Jakarta, a spokesman said.
2:03pm IST
Indonesian President Joko Widodo orders probe
Indonesian President Joko Widodo says he has ordered the National Commission for Transportation Safety to investigate the crash.
He said rescuers are making their best efforts to find victims and urged Indonesians “to keep on praying.”
Widodo, speaking in Bali where he was attending a conference, said he feels the anxiety of families and hopes they can remain calm while rescuers are working hard at the crash location at sea northeast of Jakarta.
1:38pm IST
Indian pilot Bhavye Suneja was captain of Lion Air flight
Indian pilot Bhavye Suneja captained Lion Air flight JT610 which crashed into sea with 188 passengers and crew, says airline. Read full story
1:24pm IST
President Joko Widodo calls for prayers and support
President Joko Widodo told a news conference authorities were focusing on the search and rescue, and he called for the country’s prayers and support.
1:02pm IST
Plane that crashed was most recent Boeing 737 model
The plane that crashed into the waters off Indonesia’s capital was the most recent model in Boeing Co.’s storied 737 family, the company’s best-selling plane and a workhorse for the growing ranks of budget airlines, reports Bloomberg.
Lion Air took delivery of that 737 Max in August, and according to Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, had clocked 800 hours of flight time before Monday’s accident.
12:31pm IST
We don’t have any information: Passenger’s family
Families are turning up at Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency headquarters in Jakarta for word of their loved ones.
Feni, who uses a single name, said her soon-to-be-married sister was on the flight, planning to meet relatives in Pangkal Pinang. “We are here to find any information about my younger sister, her fiance, her in-law to be and a friend of them,” said Feni.
“We don’t have any information,” she said, as her father wiped tears from reddened eyes. “No one provided us with any information that we need. “We’re confused. We hope that our family is still alive,” she said.
12:16pm IST
Lion Air plane had technical problem in previous flight: CEO
“This plane previously flew from Denpasar to Cengkareng (Jakarta). There was a report of a technical issue which had been resolved according to procedure,” Edward Sirait told reporters, declining to specify the nature of the technical issue.
He said Lion has operated 11 aircraft of the same model, the Boeing 737 Max 8, and the other planes did not have the same technical problem. Sirait said there was no plan to ground the rest of its Boeing 737 Max 8 fleet.
11:57am IST
20 employees were on plane: Finance ministry
The finance ministry said around 20 of its employees were on the plane.
11:49am IST
We express our concern for those on board: Boeing
“We express our concern for those on board, and extend heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones,” Boeing said in a statement.
“Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation,” it added.
We are deeply saddened by the loss of Lion Air Flight JT 610. We express our concern for those on board, and extend heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones. STATEMENT: https://t.co/5e18xbb4uX
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) October 29, 2018
11:43am IST
Trying to dive down to find the plane wreck: Rescue agency
“We are there already, our vessels, our helicopter is hovering above the waters, to assist,” Indonesia’s search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference. “We are trying to dive down to find the wreck.”
11:37am IST
Confused on why crash took place since it was a new plane: CEO
“We don’t dare to say what the facts are, or are not, yet,” Edward Sirait, the chief executive of Lion Air Group, told Reuters. “We are also confused about the why, since it was a new plane.”
11:29am IST
At least 23 govt officials were aboard the plane
At least 23 government officials were aboard the plane, Reuters reports.
11:25am IST
Lion Air plane was brand new
Lion Air said the brand-new aircraft. In a statement, the privately owned airline said the aircraft, which had only been operated since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having accumulated 11,000 hours of flying time.
11:06am IST
Recovery of plane’s blackbox most important: Official
Indonesia’s safety transport committee official said he could not confirm the cause of the crash, which would have to wait until the recovery of the plane’s black boxes, as the cockpit voice recorder and data flight recorder are known.
“We will collect all data from the control tower,” said Soerjanto Tjahjono. “The plane is so modern, it transmits data from the plane and that we will review too. But the most important is the blackbox.”
11:04am IST
Weather had not been a problem, was sunny: Official
Soerjanto Thanjono, chief of Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee, told reporters at a news briefing that the weather was sunny in the general area and had not been a problem, The New York Times reported.
10:42am IST
Plane requested to return to base shortly before losing contact: Official
Plane requested to return to base shortly before losing contact, said Yohanes Sirait, a spokesman for the country’s air navigation authorities. “The (traffic) control allowed that, but then it lost contact,” Sirait added.
The jet vanished from radar just 13 minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital, plunging into the ocean.
The Flightradar website tracked the plane -- which it said was a Boeing 737 -- and showed it looping south on take-off and then heading north before the flight path ended abruptly over the Java Sea, not far from the coast.
10:20am IST
Official of Indonesia’s safety transport committee said crash yet to be discover
“We will collect all data from the control tower,” said Soerjanto Tjahjono. “The plane is so modern, it transmits data from the plane and that we will review too. But the most important is the blackbox.”
09:55am IST
Lion Air Plane debris seen in Indonesian seas
“Several pieces of Lion Air JT 610 aircraft that crashed in the waters of Karawang (was found),” Head of the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted.
Serpihan pesawat Lion Air JT 610 yang jatuh di perairan Karawang. Beberapa kapal tug boad membantu menangani evakuasi. Video diambil petugas tug boad yang ada di perairan Karawang. pic.twitter.com/4GhKcRYkpG
— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) October 29, 2018
09:44am IST
Searching for the remains of the plane: Rescue agency
“The plane crashed into water about 30 to 40 metres deep and We’re still searching for the remains of the plane.” Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Yusuf Latif told AFP.
09:36am IST
Don’t know yet whether there are any survivors: Rescue agency
Wreckage had been found near where the Lion Air plane lost contact with air traffic officials on the ground, said Muhmmad Syaugi, the head of the search and rescue agency.
“We don’t know yet whether there are any survivors,” Syaugi told a news conference. “We hope, we pray, but we cannot confirm.”
9:25am IST
Flight was carrying two babies: Official
The flight was carrying 181 passengers, including one child and two babies, and seven crew members, Indonesia’s disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
He posted photos on Twitter of debris including a crushed smartphone, books, bags and parts of the aircraft fuselage that had been collected by search and rescue vessels that have converged on the area.
09:07am IST
Closely monitoring the situation, Plane maker Boeing says
Plane maker Boeing said in a tweet that it was aware of reports of an airplane accident and it was “closely monitoring” the situation.
09:05am IST
National Search and Rescue Agency confirmed plane crash
“It has been confirmed that it has crashed,” Yusuf Latif, a spokesman for the national search and rescue agency told the media.
8:43am IST
188 people were on board, say officials
The Indonesian Lion Air passenger had 188 on board when it crashed off in Sumatra minutes after take-off
8:32am IST
Accident is the first to be reported that involves Boeing 737 MAX
The accident is the first to be reported that involves the widely-sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer’s workhorse single-aisle jet. The first Boeing 737 MAX jets were introduced into service in 2017.
8:27am IST
Flight JT610 took off around 6.20 am, was due to land at 7.20 am
Flight JT610 took off around 6.20 am and was due to have landed in the capital of the Bangka-Belitung tin mining hub at 7.20 am, the tracking service showed.
8:25am IST
National Search and Rescue Agency writes to air force for help
A telegram from the National Search and Rescue Agency to the air force has requested assistance with the search of a location at sea off Java
8:15am IST
Trying to find information: Indonesia’s Lion Air Group CEO
Indonesia’s Lion Air Group CEO says they are trying to find information on the plane but refused to make any further comment on the issue.
