TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
RI allows S'pore, Malaysia, Oz, S. Korea to join AirAsia search mission
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Monday that the government had officially allowed four nations to join the search for AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501, which went missing with 162 people on board
Change Size
F
oreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Monday that the government had officially allowed four nations to join the search for AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501, which went missing with 162 people on board.
"The ministry processed the approval for assistance in the search mission promptly," said Retno during a press conference at the National Search and Rescue Agency's (Basarnas) headquarters in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta on Monday.
Retno said that approval was given to Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and South Korea.
She said the Australian government had dispatched two P3 Orient surveillance aircraft for the search.
Indonesia has also allowed Malaysia's C130 Hercules from its search and rescue division as well as three vessels.
"The three vessels as of today have entered our territory," she said.
Singapore has dispatched three vessels of frigate and corvette type as well as a C130 aircraft.
"One aircraft from South Korea is expected to arrive tomorrow," she added.
The AirAsia flight was heading to Singapore from Indonesia's second-largest city of Surabaya in East Java when it lost contact with air traffic control around an hour into its journey on Sunday morning.
Several officials have suggested that the plane's last coordinates were located close to Bangka-Belitung province. (ren/nfo)(++++)
