Indonesia has formally asked for the help of the US in locating the AirAsia Indonesia jet that went missing on Sunday morning carrying 162 people, the US State Department said
ndonesia has formally asked for the help of the US in locating the AirAsia Indonesia jet that went missing on Sunday morning carrying 162 people, the US State Department said.
"Today we received a request for assistance locating the airplane, and we are reviewing that request to find out how best we can meet Indonesia's request for assistance," State Department press office director Jeff Rathke said as quoted by the State Department official website.
'Our Embassy in Jakarta is in close contact with Indonesian officials [...] We've just received the request today, so it will take us a little bit of time to decide.'
Rathke said the Indonesian request was made via a diplomatic note to the US Embassy in Jakarta. He, however, declined to give the details of the request.
"We stand ready to assist in any way possible," Pentagon spokesman Mark Wright said in a statement as quoted by Reuters.
AirAsia flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200, vanished from radar on Sunday morning after its pilot requested permission to fly higher to avoid bad weather en route from Surabaya, East Java to Singapore.
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.