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| AirAsia QZ8501: Boss 'devastated' by missing Indonesia jet | AirAsia QZ8501: Boss 'devastated' by missing Indonesia jet |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes says he is "devastated" that a plane carrying 162 people from Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing. | AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes says he is "devastated" that a plane carrying 162 people from Indonesia to Singapore has gone missing. |
| AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200, disappeared over the Java Sea an hour into its flight at 06:24 local time (23:24 GMT Saturday). | AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200, disappeared over the Java Sea an hour into its flight at 06:24 local time (23:24 GMT Saturday). |
| Bad weather was reported in the area but no distress call was made and no wreckage has been sighted. | Bad weather was reported in the area but no distress call was made and no wreckage has been sighted. |
| The search operation was halted for the night and resumes at about 23:00 GMT. | The search operation was halted for the night and resumes at about 23:00 GMT. |
| The plane had left Surabaya in eastern Java at 05:35 local time (22:35 GMT Saturday) and was due to arrive in Singapore at 08:30 (00:30 GMT). | The plane had left Surabaya in eastern Java at 05:35 local time (22:35 GMT Saturday) and was due to arrive in Singapore at 08:30 (00:30 GMT). |
| Shocked relatives gathered at both airports, in Singapore and Surabaya, poring over the passenger manifests. | Shocked relatives gathered at both airports, in Singapore and Surabaya, poring over the passenger manifests. |
| 'My worst nightmare' | 'My worst nightmare' |
| Mr Fernandes, AirAsia's chief executive, flew to Surabaya and later told a press briefing: "We are very devastated by what's happened, it's unbelievable. | Mr Fernandes, AirAsia's chief executive, flew to Surabaya and later told a press briefing: "We are very devastated by what's happened, it's unbelievable. |
| "Our concern right now is for the relatives and for the next of kin - there is nothing more important to us, for our crew's family, and for the passengers' families. | "Our concern right now is for the relatives and for the next of kin - there is nothing more important to us, for our crew's family, and for the passengers' families. |
| "We hope that the aircraft is found quickly, and we can find out the cause of what has happened." | "We hope that the aircraft is found quickly, and we can find out the cause of what has happened." |
| An air and sea search was immediately launched, with vessels and aircraft from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia scouring an area near Belitung island, but nothing was found before nightfall. | An air and sea search was immediately launched, with vessels and aircraft from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia scouring an area near Belitung island, but nothing was found before nightfall. |
| The Indonesian search and rescue force will resume at dawn with 12 ships, three helicopters and five aircraft. There will also be two C-130 planes - one each from Malaysia and Singapore - and three ships from those nations. | The Indonesian search and rescue force will resume at dawn with 12 ships, three helicopters and five aircraft. There will also be two C-130 planes - one each from Malaysia and Singapore - and three ships from those nations. |
| Dense storm clouds were reported in the area at the time the plane lost contact. | Dense storm clouds were reported in the area at the time the plane lost contact. |
| The pilot had asked permission to climb to 38,000ft (11,000m) to avoid the clouds. | The pilot had asked permission to climb to 38,000ft (11,000m) to avoid the clouds. |
| But Indonesian transport ministry official Djoko Murjatmodjo said the request "could not be approved at that time due to traffic, there was a flight above, and five minutes later [flight QZ8501] disappeared from radar". | But Indonesian transport ministry official Djoko Murjatmodjo said the request "could not be approved at that time due to traffic, there was a flight above, and five minutes later [flight QZ8501] disappeared from radar". |
| Geoffrey Thomas, of airlineratings.com, told the BBC that radar plots had shown the plane was flying at 353 knots, 100 knots slower than it should have been. | Geoffrey Thomas, of airlineratings.com, told the BBC that radar plots had shown the plane was flying at 353 knots, 100 knots slower than it should have been. |
| Although he stressed it was only speculation, he said it was possible the pilots may have lost data on air speed because of an ice-up of pitot tube instrumentation. This was thought to have had happened in the loss of the Air France Airbus A330 over the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. | Although he stressed it was only speculation, he said it was possible the pilots may have lost data on air speed because of an ice-up of pitot tube instrumentation. This was thought to have had happened in the loss of the Air France Airbus A330 over the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. |
| A recent safety study showed only 10% of fatal incidents occurred at cruising altitude. | A recent safety study showed only 10% of fatal incidents occurred at cruising altitude. |
| The AirAsia group has previously had no fatal accidents involving its aircraft. | The AirAsia group has previously had no fatal accidents involving its aircraft. |
| Mr Fernandes, who has owned AirAsia since 2001 and turned it into a highly successful operation, tweeted: "This is my worst nightmare." | Mr Fernandes, who has owned AirAsia since 2001 and turned it into a highly successful operation, tweeted: "This is my worst nightmare." |
| Difficult year | Difficult year |
| The AirAsia Indonesia plane in question was delivered in 2008, has flown 13,600 times, covering 23,000 hours, and underwent its last maintenance on 16 November. | The AirAsia Indonesia plane in question was delivered in 2008, has flown 13,600 times, covering 23,000 hours, and underwent its last maintenance on 16 November. |
| The captain, Iriyanto, has more than 20,500 flight hours, almost 7,000 of them with AirAsia, Mr Fernandes said. The co-pilot is French national Remi Emmanuel Plesel. | |
| AirAsia has set up an emergency line for family or friends of those who may be on board. The number is +622 129 850 801. | AirAsia has set up an emergency line for family or friends of those who may be on board. The number is +622 129 850 801. |
| Special centres were set up at both Singapore's Changi airport and the Juanda international airport in Surabaya. | Special centres were set up at both Singapore's Changi airport and the Juanda international airport in Surabaya. |
| AirAsia Indonesia CEO Sunu Widyatmoko said the company had "mobilised a support team to help take care of [relatives'] immediate needs, including accommodation and travel arrangements". | AirAsia Indonesia CEO Sunu Widyatmoko said the company had "mobilised a support team to help take care of [relatives'] immediate needs, including accommodation and travel arrangements". |
| There were 155 passengers on board, the company said in a statement: | There were 155 passengers on board, the company said in a statement: |
| This has been a difficult year for aviation in Asia: Malaysia's national carrier Malaysia Airlines has suffered two losses - flights MH370 and MH17. | This has been a difficult year for aviation in Asia: Malaysia's national carrier Malaysia Airlines has suffered two losses - flights MH370 and MH17. |
| Flight MH370 disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March with 239 passengers and crew. The wreckage, thought to be in southern Indian Ocean, has still not been located. | Flight MH370 disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March with 239 passengers and crew. The wreckage, thought to be in southern Indian Ocean, has still not been located. |
| MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July, killing all 298 on board. | MH17 was shot down over Ukraine in July, killing all 298 on board. |
| What is the AirAsia Group? | What is the AirAsia Group? |
| Tony Fernandes: Flying and football | Tony Fernandes: Flying and football |
| Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the AirAsia flight? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Are you, or is someone you know, affected by this story? Do you know any of the passengers on the AirAsia flight? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with any information. Please leave a telephone number if you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |
| Have your say | Have your say |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. |
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