Search mission for AirAsia QZ8501 halts overnight
The search for AirAsia flight QZ 8501 was halted due to bad light at 5:30pm (9:30pm AEDT) Sunday night, Indonesian authorities said.
"We ended at 5:30 pm (9:30pm AEDT) because it was getting dark. The weather was also not too good as it was getting really cloudy," Indonesian Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa told AFP on Sunday night.
“Tomorrow we will begin at 7:00am, or even earlier than that if the weather is good.”
The AirAsia flight QZ 8501 lost contact with the Jakarta air traffic control tower just after 6am local time on its flight from Indonesia to Singapore.
A search and rescue operation was launched following its disappearance, which came after the pilot requested permission to change the height from 32,000 to 34,000 feet in the Kumai Strait near Belitung due to bad weather, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Just five minutes later, the tower in Jakarta lost contact with the aircraft, and a minute after that the plane had vanished from the radar.
The company stated that the Airbus A320-200 was carrying 162 people on board, including 16 children, an infant, two pilots and seven cabin crew, according to SMH.
The flight, en route to Singapore from Surabaya in Indonesia, was scheduled to arrive at 8.30am Singapore time, or 11.30am AEDST, however lost contact with Jakarta tower at 6:17am, and was officially reported missing at 7:55am Indonesian time.
It is believed at this time the plane would be over the Java Sea between Kalimantan and Java islands.
As a press conference, Indonesia's Minister for Transport, Ignasius Jonan, said the flight went missing between Tanjung Pandan and Pontianak, and was not far from the shoreline at the time it last made contact.
The search began where the aircraft went missing and intends to expand wider until something is found.
Search and rescue agencies were on the move from Singapore and civilian shipping was asked to provide any information if they saw anything, SMH reported.
The Minister of Transport also stated that hourly updates would be released with any new information that arises.
Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla was reported by SMH announcing that there was a "high possibility that an accident has happened".
However, the head of Indonesia's national search and rescue agency Basarnas’, FHB Soelistyo, commented that Indonesia’s technology was largely unreliable, with sonars on their boats only reaching depths of around 200 metres.
Soelistyo said a command centre would be set up by 6am Monday in Pangkal Pinang, on one side of the Karimata Strait, the location where the plane was when it disappeared from radars, according to SMH.
Australia has offered to help Indonesia in the mission to find QZ 8501, with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop saying she had made “personal contact” with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi following the disappearance of the plane.
"I have expressed our deep concerns for the passengers and crew on board that flight and our thoughts and prayers are with their families," she told reporters in Adelaide.
"It's always deeply concerning when you hear news such as this…we hope and pray that there will be survivors."
No Australians appear to have been on the flight, with Bishop saying she was seeking the flight manifest to check there were no dual Australian citizens or permanent residents on the flight.
An Emergency Call Centre has been established by AirAsia that is available for family or friends of those who may have been on board the aircraft.
The number is +622129850801.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
airasia aviation disappearance missing plane qz8501Latest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.