AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crashed into sea because of adverse weather, suspect rescue officials

Updated: Monday, December 29, 2014, 2:47 [IST]

Jakarta, Dec 28: AirAsia Flight QZ8501 which went missing while flying to Singapore from Surabaya in Indonesia is believed to have crashed into the sea around 80-100 nautical miles from Belitung island in Indonesia, a National Research and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) official said, according to a report published in the Jakarta Post on Sunday.

[Did AirAsia flight too fly into dead zone?]

It is said the Airbus 230 had hovered over the sea near Belitung to avoid a thunderstorm before experiencing severe weather conditions and crashed. The plane has 162 people on board, including 149 Indonesians.

airasia1 — Relatives of the passengers of AirAsia flight QZ8501 comfort each other at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014. AP/PTI

A massive search operation was underway to trace the missing flight. Singapore authorities offered cooperation in the search initiative. The flight lost all contact at 4.47 am Indian Standard Time.

A Malaysian passenger aircraft went missing soon after taking off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8 and was never found again. The plane had 239 people on board. [Search for missing MH370 resumes]

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