Representative Image: Sriwijaya Air

A passenger plane of Indonesia’s Sriwijaya Air has crashed into water not far from Jakarta, with suspected debris and body parts found in the area, the Xinhua news agency reported on January 9, citing local TV.

A coast guard ship captain is said to have reported to the local TV on the finding of the debris.

Yusuf Latief, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s search and rescue office, confirmed to Xinhua earlier in the day the loss of communication with a Sriwijaya Air plane shortly after its take-off from Jakarta with over 50 passengers aboard.

Indonesian transport minister Budi Karya told a news conference that 62 people had been aboard, including 12 crew. Another official had said earlier there were 56 passengers and six crew.

 

Bagus Puruhito, head of the country’s search and rescue agency Basarnas, said teams had been dispatched to search the waters north of Jakarta. No radio beacon signal had been detected, the agency said.

Sriwijaya Air plane first flew in 1994

Sriwijaya Air, an Indonesian airline, said in a statement it was gathering more detailed information regarding the flight before it could make a fuller statement.

“Sriwijaya Air flight #SJ182 lost more than 10.000 feet of altitude in less than one minute, about 4 minutes after departure from Jakarta,” Flightradar24 reported.

FlightRadar24 data showed the plane was a Boeing 737-500 series. The 737 first flew in May 1994, according to Flightradar.

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