Indonesia asks for US help finding missing plane

Washington, Dec 29: The State Department says Indonesia has asked the United States for help in locating the missing AirAsia jet. The US is considering ways to help. The jet carrying 162 people is believed to have crashed into Indonesia's Java Sea.

The State Department says no Americans were on board. The US Embassy in Jakarta received a diplomatic note from Indonesian officials on Monday asking for assistance in finding the plane. State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke says the US is identifying how best to help, but that it will take some time to review the request.

He's not specifying what types of assistance Indonesia has requested. AirAsia Flight 8501 vanished yesterday morning on its way from Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore.

AP