AirAsia QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing, 162 on board

By Rickey ·

AirAsia flight QZ8501 from Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing according to reports from local Indonesian media and confirmed by the airline.

Statement from AirAsia:

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.

From CNBC:

Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa said the aircraft, flight number QZ8501, lost contact with the Jakarta air traffic control tower at 6:17 a.m local time. (2317 GMT).

From Straits Times:

An Air Asia plane travelling from Surabaya, Indonesia to Singapore has lost contact with air traffic control, Indonesia's Metro TV reported on Sunday.

QZ 8501 took off from Surabaya at 5.20 am local time on Sunday and was scheduled to land at Changi Airport at 8.30 am, according to Metro TV.

Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa told Indonesian media that the aircraft lost contact with the Jakarta air traffic control tower at 6.17 am local time. He said the plane had asked for an unusual route before it lost contact, Reuters reported.

There are reportedly 162 people on board.

https://twitter.com/AP/status/549049445611237376

https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/549050347298516993

https://twitter.com/Newsweek/status/549051300411764736

This is giving me flashbacks of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 which got lost last March. That plane is still missing.

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