Aaj Logo

Updated 16 May, 2012 10:49am

Russian jet carrying 46 passengers goes missing in Indonesia

INDONESIA: A Russian Sukhoi Superjet carrying 46 passengers went missing on Wednesday. Reports have indicated that the jet was on a demonstration flight and disappeared from the radar during a flight meant to last 30 minutes.

A search operation is being carried out in order to find the airplane.

“46 people had been aboard the plane, which vanished from radar near Bogor, a city in West Java province,” stated Gagah Prakoso, spokesman for Indonesia's national search and rescue agency.

Prakoso further stated that the authorities are still looking for the jet and they are still unsure as to whether the jet had crashed or not.

The plane took off from Halim Perdanakusuma airport, Jakarta at 07:00 GMT. The concerned airport is only used for commercial and military flights.

According to the rescue agency, the jet fell from 10,000 ft to 6,000 ft at around 14:30.

The passengers on the jet are all invited guests and the Russian embassy had earlier stated that a demonstration would take place in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The Sukhoi Super jet 100, is capable of carrying 100 passengers, and is the first commercial airplane of military plane manufacturers Sukhoi.

Read Comments