A Lion Air plane carrying 189 people crashed into the sea just minutes after taking off from Indonesia’s capital on Monday in a blow to the country’s aviation safety record after the lifting of bans on its airlines by the European Union and U.S.
Indonesia’s disaster agency posted photos online of a crushed smartphone, books, bags and parts of the aircraft fuselage that had been collected by search and rescue vessels.
President Joko Widodo ordered the transport safety commission to investigate and urged Indonesians to “keep on praying” as rescuers search for victims.
A transport official said the flight requested to return shortly after takeoff from Jakarta. Weather conditions were normal but the brand new aircraft had experienced a technical issue on its previous flight.
Here are the latest updates:
Narendra Modi condoles
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of nearly 190 people in an Indonesian plane crash.
“My thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the plane crash in Indonesia. May Almighty give them strength and courage in this hour of grief,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted quoting Modi, who is in Japan.
President orders probe
Indonesian President Joko Widodo says he has ordered the National Commission for Transportation Safety to investigate crash of the Lion Air plane.
Mr. Widodo, speaking in Bali where he was attending a conference, said he feels the anxiety of families and hopes they can remain calm while rescuers are working hard at the crash location at sea northeast of Jakarta.
'Plane had requested to return to base'
Airline president Edward Sirait said the technical problem on Boeing 737 Max 8 plane was resolved in accordance with the manufacturer’s procedures. He wasn’t more specific but said the problem on the earlier flight would be part of the investigation of Monday’s crash.
Separately, Indonesia’s Directorate-General of Air Transportation said the flight from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang requested to return to Jakarta shortly after takeoff from the capital’s airport. The plane crashed into the sea about 13 minutes after takeoff.
In a statement about the tragedy, the air transportation agency’s spokesman Sindu Rahayu said, “The plane had requested a return to base before disappearing from the radar.” It gave no other details about the request.
Do not fly on Lion Air: Australia
Australian government on Monday told its officials not to fly on Lion Air after the Monday crash.
Meanwhile Flydubai said Boeing 737 MAX jet fleet remains in operation.
The airlines was removed from the European Union's air safety blacklist in June 2016.
Indian pilot captained JT610
Indian pilot Bhavye Suneja captained Indonesian plane Lion Air flight JT610, stated the airline.
An Indian Embassy official in Jakarta also confirmed that one of the pilots of the plane was an Indian citizen. Debashis Biswas identified him as Bhavye Suneja.
'Black boxes' top priority for investigators
The top priority for investigators will be finding the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to help determine the cause, safety experts said.
The pilots had asked to turn back to base shortly before losing contact with air traffic control, according to a spokesman for Indonesia's air navigation authorities.
Rescue personnel prepare to dive at the location where a Lion Air plane crashed into the sea in the north coast of Karawang regency, West Java province Indonesia on October 29, 2018.
Data from flight tracking service FlightRadar24 shows the first sign that something was amiss came about two minutes into the flight when the plane had reached 2,000 feet.
At that point, it descended more than 500 feet and veered to the left before climbing again to 5,000 feet, where it stayed during most of the rest of the flight.
It began gaining speed in the final moments and reached 345 knots (397 mph) before data was lost when it was at 3,650 feet.
Given the plane crashed in relatively shallow water, recovering the black boxes should be easier than with deepwater crashes like AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 in 2014 and Air France flight 447 in 2009, Flightglobal Asia managing editor Greg Waldron said.
Lion Air and its safety records
The privately-owned carrier was founded in 1999 to provide access to air travel to everyone. It offers dozens of flights a day both internationally and within the archipelago’s more than 17,000 islands.
Lion Air, the biggest airline in the country in terms of passenger numbers and one of the largest low-cost carriers after Malaysia-based AirAsia, mostly flies Boeing 737s.
Lion Air official check the passenger list of Lion Air flight JT610 that crashed into the sea, at Depati Amir airport in Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia on October 29, 2018
Indonesia overall has had a “chequered past” in terms of air safety, including hull losses like those experienced by Lion Air, and there is room for improvement, said Shukor Yusof, the head of aviation consultancy Endau Analytics.
“Indonesia needs help,” he said. “Many factors have to be looked into, including the air traffic management system, maintenance, training and so on, to cope with a rapid increase in the number of planes and passengers each year.”
Boeing 737 MAX
Lion Air flight JT 610 is the world's first crash of a Boeing Co. 737 MAX, a more fuel efficient version of the workhorse single-aisle jet that was introduced into commercial service last year.
Boeing has received 4,783 orders for the 737 MAX, of which 219 had been delivered by the end of September, according to its order book.
Southwest Airlines Co. has received 23, making it the biggest operator of the type to date, followed by Air Canada with 18, American Airlines Group Inc with 15 and Lion Air with 13, Boeing data shows.
The 737 MAX 8 uses LEAP-1B engines manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric Co. and Safran SA.
Lion Air, via its Malaysian subsidiary Malindo Air, was the first carrier globally to take delivery of the 737 MAX last year.
Plane had technical problem in previous flight: CEO
The Lion Air plane that crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta had a technical problem on a previous flight, but it had been resolved according to procedure, the company's chief executive said.
“This plane previously flew from Denpasar to Cengkareng [Jakarta]. There was a report of a technical issue which had been resolved according to procedure,” Edward Sirait told reporters, declining to specify the nature of the technical issue.
He said Lion has operated 11 aircraft of the same model, the Boeing 737 Max 8, and the other planes did not have the same technical problem. Mr. Sirait said there was no plan to ground the rest of its Boeing 737 Max 8 fleet.
'Don't know if there are survivors'
The National Search And Rescue Agency Republic of Indonesia (BASARNAS) deploy Special Basarnas Group (BSG) in search of passengers at the crash site.
“We don't know yet whether there are any survivors,” agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference, adding that no distress signal had been received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter. “We hope, we pray, but we cannot confirm.”
In this photo released by Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency rescuers inspect oil slick debris believed to be from Lion Air passenger jet that crashed off West Java on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018.
He said that items such as handphones and life vests were found in waters about 30 metres to 35 metres (98 to 115 ft) deep near where the plane, identified by air tracking service Flightradar 24 as a Boeing 737 MAX 8, lost contact.
“We are there already, our vessels, our helicopter is hovering above the waters, to assist,” Mr. Syaugi said. “We are trying to dive down to find the wreck.”
At least 23 government officials were aboard the plane, which an air navigation spokesman said had sought to turn back just before losing contact.
“We don't dare to say what the facts are, or are not, yet,” Edward Sirait, the chief executive of Lion Air Group, told Reuters. “We are also confused about the why, since it was a new plane.”
Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho posted photos on Twitter of debris including a crushed smartphone, books, bags and parts of the aircraft fuselage that had been collected by search and rescue vessels that have converged on the area.
Helpline numbers
The following are the helpline numbers handling the Lion Air Plane JT 610 crash.
Crisis centre number: 021-80820000
For information about passengers: 021-80820002.
Corporate Communications Strategic of Lion Air, Danang Mandala Prihantoro: +62 8788 033 3170
Pilot, co-pilot together had more than 11,000 hours of flying experience
The Boeing 737 Max 8 was delivered to Lion Air in mid-August and put in use within days, according to aviation website Flightradar24.
Malindo Air, a Malaysian subsidiary of Jakarta-based Lion Air, was the first airline to being using the 737 Max 8 last year. The Max 8 replaced the similar 800 in the Chicago-based planemaker’s product line.
Boeing spokesman Paul Lewis says Boeing is “closely monitoring the situation” but did not provide details on the aircraft in question.
The pilot of Flight 610 had more than 6,000 flying hours while the co-pilot had more than 5,000 hours.
Family members, Finance Minister turn up for information
At the National Search and Rescue Agency headquarters in Jakarta, family members turned up, hoping desperately for news.
Feni, who uses a single name, said her soon to be married sister was on the flight, planning to meet relatives in Pangkal Pinang.
“We are here to find any information about my younger sister, her fiance, her in-law to be and a friend of them,” said Feni.
“We don’t have any information,” she said, as her father wiped tears from reddened eyes. “No one provided us with any information that we need. “We’re confused. We hope that our family is still alive,” she said.
Indonesia’s Finance Minister Sri Mulyani also arrived at the agency and met with its chief, seeking information about 20 Finance Ministry staff who were on the flight.
The search and rescue agency said the flight ended in waters off West Java that are 30 to 35 meters (98 to 115 feet) deep.
The agency’s chief Muhammad Syaugi told a news conference that divers are trying to locate the wreckage.
The transport ministry said crisis centers have been set up Pangkal Pinang’s airport and Jakarta’s Soekarno Hatta airport.
Ready to provide technical assistance: Boeing
Aircraft maker Boeing said it is “deeply saddened” by the crash of a Lion Air off the Indonesian coast and offered to help with the investigation.
In its statement the company said, “The Indonesia Ministry of Transportation has confirmed it has located the wreckage of Lion Air Flight JT 610, a 737 MAX 8 en route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang.”
“The Boeing Company is deeply saddened by the loss of Flight JT 610. We express our concern for those on board and extend heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones.
“Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation. In accordance with the international protocol, all inquiries about aviation accident investigations must be directed to Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC),” the statement added.
Crashed in just 13 minutes
An artist's rendition courtesy of Boeing shows a 737 MAX passenger jet in Lion Air livery. (Photo for representation purpose only)
The plane lost contact 13 minutes after takeoff, the official said, adding that a tug boat leaving the capital's port had seen the craft falling. The jet was a Boeing 737 MAX 8, according to air tracking service Flightradar 24.
Flight JT610 took off around 6.20 a.m. and was due to have landed in the capital of the Bangka-Belitung tin mining hub at 7.20 a.m., the tracking service showed.
“We cannot give any comment at this moment,” said Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group. “We are trying to collect all the information and data.”
A news conference would be held later on Monday, he told Reuters .
The accident is the first to be reported that involves the widely-sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's workhorse single-aisle jet. The first Boeing 737 MAX jets were introduced into service in 2017.
Lion Air's Malaysian subsidiary, Malindo Air, received the very first global delivery.
Port official reports seeing a downed plane
Relatives of passengers of Lion Air flight JT610 that crashed into the sea, at Depati Amir airport in Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia on Monday, October 29, 2018.
The Jakarta Post reported that a vessel traffic service officer in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, Suyadi, received a report at 6:45 a.m. from a tugboat, AS Jaya II, that the crew had seen a downed plane, suspected to be a Lion Air plane, in Tanjung Bungin in Karawang, West Java.
The report further added: "At 7:15 a.m. the tugboat reported it had approached the site and the crew saw the debris of a plane," Suyadi said. As of 9 a.m. there was no report about passengers or the plane crew, he said, adding that other vessels were making their way to the site.
Youngest and biggest airline
Lion Air is one of Indonesia’s youngest and biggest airlines, flying to dozens of domestic and international destinations.
In 2013, one of its Boeing 737-800 jets missed the runway while landing on the resort island of Bali, crashing into the sea without causing any fatalities among the 108 people on board.
Before Monday’s crash the airline had not reported a fatal accident since 2004, when 25 people died when the DC-9 they were on crashed amid heavy rain at Solo City in central Java.
(With inputs from AP, Reuters and other agencies)
