AirAsia plane change direction before missing

AirAsia plane change direction before missing

AirAsia staff at Changi Airport, Singapore, direct relatives of passengers QZ85

01.

The aircraft carrier AirAsia QZ 8501 had changed course before contact was lost, the Ministry of Transportation.

Airbus A320-200 aircraft took off from Juanda Airport, East Java, at 5:36 pm and taking off following the route at an altitude of 32,000 feet M635.

Tower air traffic controllers (ATC) in Jakarta had contact with the plane at 6:12 pm.

"At the moment of contact, the best states to avoid the cloud to the left of the M635 and asked for a ride on an altitude of 38,000 feet," said Director of Civil Aviation Ministry, Djoko Murjatmodjo.

However, an interval of five minutes later, the plane lost signal from the radar.

"So, it can be assumed, at 6:17 pm, the plane lost contact," said Djoko.

The last position before the plane lost contact, continued Djoko, is between Tanjung Pandan, Belitung Island and Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

"So if from Tanjung Pandan to the south, sejarak 100 nautical miles," said Djoko.

The plane was carrying 138 adult passengers, 16 children and 1 infant. The plane was manned by two pilots, four cabin crew, and a flight engineer.

Through nudge Twitter account, Executive Director of AirAsia, Tony Fernandes, thank you for your prayers everyone. 'We have to stay strong', he wrote. (BBC)