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Timeline: Search for AirAsia Flight QZ8501

Agence France-Presse

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Timeline: Search for AirAsia Flight QZ8501
Here is the series of events surrounding the crash of AirAsia Flight QZ8501

JAKARTA, Indonesia – AirAsia Flight QZ8501 with 162 people aboard crashed in the sea Sunday, December 28, in bad weather en route from Indonesia’s second largest city Surabaya to Singapore.

Here is what is known so far about the search for the Airbus A320-200 and its passengers and crew.

Sunday, December 28

AirAsia Flight QZ8501 prepares to take-off with 155 passengers and 7 crew for the two-hour flight to Singapore.

Some 155 of those on board are Indonesian, with 3 South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman – co-pilot Remi Plesel.

Before departure, Captain Iriyanto, 53, an experienced former Indonesian air force pilot, asks for permission to fly at a higher level to avoid a storm. His request is not approved due to heavy traffic on the popular route.

5:35 am (2235 GMT Saturday): Flight QZ8501 takes-off.

6:12 am: The captain contacts air traffic control in Jakarta to request a change of course to avoid clouds and to ascend from 32,000 feet to 38,000 feet. His request to alter course is approved but permission to ascend is not immediately given due to planes flying above.

6:14-15: Air traffic control ready to give clearance to ascend to 34,000 feet but there is no response.

6:16 am: Flight QZ8501 still on radar.

6:18 am: Plane disappears from radar.

7:08 am: In accordance with standard operating procedure, air traffic control declares INCERFA, or the state of uncertainty when there is concern about the safety of an aircraft.

7:28 am: Air traffic control declares ALERFA advanced alert.

7:55 am: Air traffic control goes to distress phase DESTERFA, where a plane is believed to be in grave and imminent danger.

Indonesia activates search and rescue.

Singapore offers navy and air force help, with a C-130 plane joining the operation. Malaysia and Australia also offer help.

Indonesian air force dispatches two planes to scour the Java Sea southwest of Pangkalan Bun in Kalimantan province on Borneo.

Indonesia later dispatches more aircraft and four navy ships in addition to search and rescue agency vessels.

Search called off as night falls. 

Monday, December 29

Search resumes at dawn.

9:30 am: National Search and Rescue Agency chief Bambang Soelistyo says the plane is likely “at the bottom of the sea” based on its estimated position.

During the day Britain and France also offer help and Australia sends an AP-3C Orion maritime surveillance plane.

Singapore deploys two C-130 aircraft in addition to naval ships already dispatched. China sends a frigate.

During the day there are reports of an object spotted at sea and patches of oil but these prove to be false leads.

Washington deploys the destroyer USS Sampson.

Tuesday, December 30

Around 12:30 pm: Items resembling an emergency slide, plane door and other objects are spotted during an aerial search by a military plane that Agence France-Presse was aboard.

2:10 pm: Indonesian director general of civil aviation Djoko Murjatmodjo tells AFP the debris is from the missing plane.

3:00 pm: National Search and Rescue Agency chief Bambang Soelistyo says a body has been found.

Relatives of the 162 missing burst into tears, with some becoming hysterical on seeing television footage of the half-naked body in the sea.

3:20 pm: Soelistyo says an air force plane has spotted a “shadow” on the seabed believed to be the missing jet.

During the day a total of three bodies are retrieved along with an exit door, emergency slide and a suitcase.

Wednesday, December 31

Stormy weather forces rescuers to suspend their search.

Soelistyo says a total of 6 bodies have been recovered, including a woman in crew uniform. A seventh body is found later in the day and the first two corpses are flown back to Surabaya for identification.

Police in Surabaya say they have hospital facilities ready to store and examine 150 bodies.

9:00 pm: The first two bodies – one male and one female – are identified. Police say they will hand them over on January 1 once formal confirmation is complete. – Rappler.com

 

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