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LIVE Officials
involved in the search said an Australian plane had spotted the objects, which
are in an area of interest and will be examined further (Photo: The Independent)
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Australian search planes involved in the hunt for the missing
AirAsia flight QZ8501 have spotted objects in the sea. Officials said the
objects are in an area of interest and will be examined further.
Media report an Indonesian official said the objects had been seen
by Australian planes.
The sighting of what could possibly be wreckage from
the Airbus A320-200 came after a rescue official said the aircraft, which was
carrying 162 people, was likely to be at the bottom of the sea.
The flight crew of the plane had asked to divert due
to safety fears amid stormy conditions before contact was lost with air traffic
control. It was on its way from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore.
Henry Bambang Soelistyo, of the National Search and
Rescue, said: "Based on the co-ordinates that we know, the evaluation
would be that any estimated crash position is in the sea, and that the
hypothesis is the plane is at the bottom of the sea."
A British national, named as Chi Man Choi, according
to reports of the passenger manifest in the Indonesian media, is among those on
board the plane.
He is thought to have been travelling with his
daughter, Zoe, on tickets bought on Boxing Day.
He is believed to hold a British passport but live in
Singapore with his family.
The search for the missing plane, which had 155
passengers and seven crew on board, resumed today, after being suspended due to
poor weather conditions.
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The missing AirAsia A320-200 plane is likely to be at
the bottom of the Java sea, an official said
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Twelve navy ships, five planes, three helicopters and
a number of warships are searching an area of east and south-east Belitung
island and nearby waters, said First Admiral Sigit Setiayana, of the Naval
Aviation Centre Commander at the Surabaya air force base.
He said visibility for the search is good.
"God willing, we can find it soon," he
added.
AirAsia's chief executive, Tony Fernandes, who also
owns Premier League football team Queens Park Rangers, spoke yesterday of his
sadness and thanked people for their support.
He said: "This is my worst nightmare.
"My only thoughts are with the passengers and my
crew.
"We put our hope in the SAR (search and rescue)
operation and thank the Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysian governments."
He said he was "touched by the massive show of
support", especially from fellow airlines.
Mr Choi's brother has reportedly said his family is
"preparing for the worst".
Chi Choi, said to be based in Cheshire, told the Daily
Mirror his brother took a different flight from his wife due to work commitments.
"I believe the reason they didn't fly out
together was because of his work schedule. His wife and son flew first. I spoke
to his wife and she fears the worst," he said.
Mr Fernandes said his heart "bleeds" as the
families of those missing await news.
Writing on Twitter, he said: "Keeping positive
and staying strong. My heart bleeds for all the relatives of my crew and our
passangers. Nothing is more important to us."
The airline boss said he had travelled to the
Indonesian capital, Jakarta, to liaise with those in charge of the search and
rescue mission, but planned to go back to Surabaya where families of those on
board the plane are desperately awaiting an update on the situation.
Some relatives are based in Singapore, where they
would have hoped to meet their family members safely off the plane yesterday.
The airline said it is providing whatever support it
can to all those affected.
It said: " AirAsia Indonesia's primary focus
remains on the families and Sunu Widyatmoko, chief executive officer of AirAsia
Indonesia, is currently stationed at the family centre in Surabaya.
"We
have been keeping the families updated on the search and rescue efforts as well
as provide emotional support. Another group of AirAsia officials are providing
the same to the families based in Singapore."
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