AirAsia Flight QZ8501 loses contact with Indonesian air traffic

Filepic: AirAsia Airbus aircraft on the tarmac after landing at Ngurah Rai Internation Airport in Denpasar on the resort island of Bali. - AFP

AirAsia Emergency Call Centre: [phone]

PETALING JAYA: AirAsia Indonesia has confirmed that Flight QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact with Indonesian air traffic control. 

"AirAsia Indonesia regrets to confirm that QZ8501 from Surabaya to Singapore has lost contact 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 airline said in a statement posted on their Facebook page on Sunday. 

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

AirAsia Indonesia said that search and rescue operations are in progress.

It has also established an Emergency Call Centre that is available for families or friends of those who may have been on board the aircraft. The contact number is: [phone]. 

Flight QZ8501, which took off on Sunday morning from Juanda International Airport lost contact in Indonesian airspace around 7.24am, local time (8.24am Malaysian time).

Earlier, according to Kompas.com, Indonesia’s Air Transport Ministry director Djoko Murjatmojo confirmed that the plane was missing in Indonesian airspace.

“At this moment, I’m at the observation post waiting for reports to come in,” said Djoko.

He said the ministry would come out with a statement with regards to the missing flight.

According to Indonesia’s Metro TV, the flight manifest stated that there were 155 passengers on board.

Out of the number, 138 were adults with 16 children and one infant. 

The plane was also carrying two pilots, four cabin crew and one technical staff. 

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai confirmed that he had been alerted over the missing flight and was awaiting details.

Civil Aviation Department director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman also confirmed the incident.

Related stories:
Missing AirAsia flight: 155 passengers and seven crew aboard, says Indonesia’s Transport Ministry
Missing AirAsia flight: Govt will assist in search operations, says Najib
Missing AirAsia flight: Stay strong, Tony Fernandes urges
Missing AirAsia flight: Singapore readies rescue team
Missing AirAsia flight: FlightRadar reports last known location of missing plane
Missing AirAsia flight: Plane made slight turning before losing contact, says report
Missing AirAsia flight: Majority of passengers are Indonesian nationals
Missing AirAsia flight: Last detected position about 100 nautical miles off Belitung Island
AirAsia Flight QZ8501 loses contact with Indonesian air traffic
Missing AirAsia flight: AirAsia goes grey for QZ8501