A CHILD was among the six bodies pulled from the sea after a plane carrying 189 people crashed in Indonesia today just moments after the pilot reported "technical difficulties". No survivors have been found after the Lion Air flight JT-610 crashed 13 minutes after its 6.20am take-off while the firm's CEO said the jet underwent repair work last night. 29 All 189 people on board died minutes after the plane took off from Jakarta airport Credit: Reuters The remains of six people, including that of a child, have so far been retrieved from the waters of West Java by emergency workers who have been pictured carrying body bags at Tanjung Priok Harbour in northern Jakarta. Senior rescue officials Bambang Suryo Aji said that it is "likely" that all the people on board the jet have died. He said: "My prediction is that nobody survived because the victims that we found, their bodies were no longer intact and it's been hours so it is likely 189 people have died." Indonesia's disaster agency posted photos online of a crushed smartphone, books, clothing, ID cards, life vests and bags that have been collected by search and rescue teams. The aircraft, on a 1 hour and 10 minute flight, was said to be carrying 189 people, including one child, two babies, and seven crew members. One Italian national and at least 23 government officials were on board the plane which was travelling to the city of Pangkal Pinang on the Indonesian island of Bangka. The plane’s Indian pilot Bhavye Suneja had reported “technical difficulties” and asked air traffic control to return to the airport minutes after taking off, according to reports. Following his distress call, the jet vanished from radar before losing altitude and plunging into the sea. Lion Air CEO Edward Sirait confirmed this morning that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 had gone into service months ago and underwent repair work to resolve a technical issue on Sunday night. WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR: Lion Air flight JT610 crashed 13 minutes after take-off from Jakarta 189 were on board, including 178 adult passengers, 1 child, two babies, two pilots and six flight attendants No survivors have been found The aircraft was travelling from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang in Indonesia The pilot requested a return to the airport shortly before the crash Rescuers have posted pictures online of a crushed phone, books, clothing, ID cards and bags that have been found The plane was a new model – a Boeing 737 MAX 8 – and had only been in use for two months Lion Air's CEO said the plane had reported a technical problem on Sunday night 29 Rizal Gilang Sanusi Putra, 26, his wife Wita Seriani, also 26, and their baby daughter Kyara were all on board the doomed flight Credit: Facebook 29 Little Kyara, aged 15 months, is the youngest victim of the plane crash Credit: Facebook 29 A bag believed to be from the wreckage of the Lion Air flight JT 610 Credit: AFP 29 Rescue workers carry a body in a bag at at Tanjung Priok Harbour in Jakarta Credit: EPA 29 Emergency workers arrange body bags at the harbour as the search for the wreckage continues Credit: EPA 29 Emergency workers carry body bags near the scene of where the Lion Air jet plunged into the sea Credit: Reuters 29 Divers are trying to locate the wreckage of the plane 29 Relatives of passengers of Lion Air flight JT610 that crashed into the sea cry at Depati Amir airport in Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia Credit: ANTARA FOTO 29 Indonesia disaster agency said the Lion Air Boeing 737-800 plane crashed into sea shortly after it left Indonesia's capital Credit: AP:Associated Press 29 Rescue workers search the site where it is believed the plane crashed Serpihan pesawat Lion Air JT 610 yang jatuh di perairan Karawang. Beberapa kapal tug boad membantu menangani evakuasi. Video diambil petugas tug boad yang ada di perairan Karawang. pic.twitter.com/4GhKcRYkpG — Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) October 29, 2018 He told AFP: “It got repaired in Denpasar (in Bali) and then it was flown to Jakarta. “Engineers in Jakarta received notes and did another repair before it took off' on Monday. That's the normal procedure for any plane.” Sirait, the chief executive of Lion Air, added: "We don't dare to say what the facts are, or are not, yet. We are also confused about the why, since it was a new plane." Lion Air said the pilot Suneja and co-pilot Harvino were experienced, with more than 11,000 flight hours between them. A report to the Jakarta Search and Rescue Office cited the crew of a tug boat which had reported seeing a Lion Air flight falling from the sky. Indonesia's disaster agency spokesman posted video of some debris on Twitter. Muhmmad Syaugi, head of Indonesia's search and rescue, said: "We are trying to dive down to find the wreck." Flight radar shows route of Lion Air JT610 that crashed into the sea 10 minutes after taking off from Indonesian capital Jakarta 29 Relatives of passengers comfort each other after hearing news of the Lion Air plane crash this morning Credit: AP:Associated Press 29 The passenger jet crashed into the sea shortly after take-off from Jakarta 29 Rescue workers display a piece of wreckage from Lion Air flight JT 610 Credit: AFP 29 Lion Air's CEO has confirmed that the plane underwent repairs last night Credit: AP:Associated Press 29 The jet's pilot requested the aircraft return to the airport shortly before the crash Credit: EPA 29 Rescuers inspect debris believed to be from a Lion Air passenger jet that crashed off West Java Credit: AP:Associated Press 29 Personal possessions believed to have belonged to a passenger on board the doomed flight Credit: AFP 29 Members of a rescue team collect personal items and wreckage at the port in northern Jakarta Credit: AFP or licensors 29 Indonesia's disaster agency posted photos online of a crushed smartphone, books and bags Credit: AP:Associated Press 29 Rescuers inspect an oil slick debris believed to be from Lion Air passenger jet Credit: AP:Associated Press 29 An aerial view shows the site where it is believed the Lion Air flight JT610 crashed Credit: Reuters Lion Air CEO believes the ill-fated JT610 aircraft that crashed shortly after take off from Jakarta had a technical problem that was resolved and was deemed fit to fly Data for Flight 610 on aircraft tracking website FlightAware ends just a few minutes following takeoff. The cabin crew were Shintia Melina, Citra Noivita Anggelia, Alviani Hidayatul Solikha, Damayanti Simarmata, Mery Yulianda, and Deny Maula. An official of Indonesia’s safety transport committee said he could not confirm the cause of the crash, which would have to wait until the recovery of the plane’s black boxes, as the cockpit voice recorder and data flight recorder are known. Soerjanto Tjahjono said: “We will collect all data from the control tower. The plane is so modern, it transmits data from the plane and that we will review too. But the most important is the blackbox.” The accident is the first to be reported that involves the widely-sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer’s single-aisle jet. 29 Rescue team members collecting the remains of the crashed plane at Tanjung Priok Harbour Credit: EPA 29 No survivors have been found after the plane plunged into the sea this morning Credit: EPA 29 Lion Air officials check the passenger list of Lion Air flight JT610 that crashed into the sea Credit: ANTARA FOTO 29 The aircraft was seen last on the radar at 6.22 a.m. at 2,500 to 3,000 feet The first Boeing 737 MAX jets were introduced into service in 2017. Boeing is aware of the airplane accident reports and is “closely monitoring” the situation. The emergency beacon did not emit a distress call, despite it being certified to work until August 2019. Indonesian TV showed dozens of people waiting outside the Pangkal Pinang airport and officials bringing out plastic chairs. One relative waiting at Pangkal Pingang airport told the Associated Press her sister was on the flight. Feni, who uses a single name, told reporters: “We are here to find any information about my younger sister, her fiance, her in-law-to-be and a friend of them. 29 Relatives of passengers on board arrive at crisis centre at Soekarno Hatta International airport near Jakarta Credit: Reuters 29 There were 189 people on board the passenger plane Credit: AP:Associated Press "We don’t have any information. No one provided us with any information that we need. We’re confused." The crash is the worst airline disaster in Indonesia since an AirAsia flight plunged into the sea in December 2014, killing all 162 on board. Lion Air is one of Indonesia's youngest and biggest airlines, flying to dozens of domestic and international destinations. MOST READ IN NEWS 'GOBSMACKED' Queen 'gave Harry OK for Oprah series after misleading pitch about soldiers' ROD LIDDLE Ousting right-on National Trust boss is a victory against wokery DRUMMER DEAD School Of Rock star dies at 32 after being hit by car as Jack Black mourns HOUSE ABOUT IT You won't believe what this ordinary London home looks like on the inside Exclusive TOM'S LEGACY Captain Tom Moore — who raised £39m for charity — left family £73k in will JABS HOPE Scientists 'crack cause of blood clots linked to Covid jabs & know how to fix it' In 2013, Lion Air flight 904 crashed into the sea on landing at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport. All 108 people on board survived. The European Union barred Indonesian airlines from flying to Europe in 2007 due to safety concerns. Lion Air was allowed to resume flights to Europe as of June 2016, and the ban on all other Indonesian airlines was lifted earlier this year. The U.S. lifted a decade-long ban in 2016. 29 In 2013, a Lion Air Boeing 737 crashed while attempting to land at Bali International Airport Credit: AFP - Getty LION AIR: LOW COST AIRLINE WITH MIXED SAFETY RECORD Lion Air, the airline whose plane crashed early Monday while traveling from Jakarta to an island off Indonesia's Sumatra with 188 people on board, is a fast-growing low cost airline with a mixed safety record. The privately-owned carrier was founded in 1999 to provide access to air travel to everyone. It offers dozens of flights a day both internationally and within the archipelago's more than 17,000 islands. The biggest airline in the country in terms of passenger numbers and one of the largest low-cost carriers after Malaysia-based AirAsia, it mostly flies Boeing 737s. Before Monday's crash the airline had not reported a fatal accident since 2004, when 25 people died when the DC-9 they were on crashed amid heavy rain at Solo City in central Java. Monday's disaster was a blow to the country's aviation safety record after the lifting of bans on its airlines by the European Union and U.S. The European Union barred Indonesian airlines from flying to Europe in 2007 due to safety concerns. Lion Air was allowed to resume flights to Europe as of June 2016, and the ban on all other Indonesian airlines was lifted earlier this year. The U.S. lifted a decade-long ban in 2016. Lion Air has been expanding bullishly in Southeast Asia, a fast-growing region of more than 600 million people. Earlier this year it confirmed a deal to buy 50 new Boeing narrow-body aircraft worth an estimated $6.24 billion. We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368. You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.<doc-sep>An Indonesian airplane operated by budget airline Lion Air crashed shortly after takeoff at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport on Monday, authorities confirmed. The aircraft reportedly crashed just 13 minutes after takeoff, likely into the Java Sea. According to Lion Air, there were a total of 189 people on board, including eight crew members. At least 23 government officials were reportedly among the passengers on the plane, as well as two babies and one older child. Rescue officials said that contact with the plane was lost over Karawang, in West Java province, not far from the capital. Muhmmad Syaugi, the head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, said that rescuers had retrieved some body parts but had so far not found any survivors. "We don't know yet whether there are any survivors," Syaugi said. "We hope, we pray, but we cannot confirm," he added. Relatives of passengers on board Lion Air flight JT610 wait for news of survivors Lion Air said that the aircraft was a passenger plane en route to Pangkal Pinang on a Bangka Island, east of Sumatra. Some 300 people, including police, soldiers and local fishermen are involved in the search. Divers are currently trying to locate the plane's fuselage which is believed to be lying on the sea floor at a depth of around 35 meters (115 feet). Read more: AirAsia Flight 8501 spotlights Indonesia's air safety practices Speed increased Swedish flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the airplane was a Boeing 737 MAX 8 that had been delivered to Lion Air in August. They also wrote on Twitter that "preliminary data show an increase in speed and decrease in altitude at last transmission." Lion Air told reporters that the plane was airworthy and had only been operated by their company since August. Its pilot and co-pilot had together amassed 11,000 hours of flying time. The weather at the time of the flight had been deemed safe, with a few clouds but no major storms or wind. Boeing said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by news of the crash, adding that it "stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation." Air transport is crucial for connecting the country's tens of thousands of islands, but Indonesia has seen a number of airplane crashes in the past few years, including a Lion Air crash near Bali in 2013. In 2017, Indonesia's air traffic controllers association announced that the rate of take-off and landings in Jakarta permitted by state-run air navigation company AirNav was larger than the airport's capacity, thus increasing the likelihoood of accidents. law,rs,es/ng (dpa, AP, Reuters)<doc-sep>
A plane operated by the low-cost Indonesian airline Lion Air crashed while on a domestic flight from Jakarta. It's the first crash ever for Boeing's new 737 MAX 8 model. "It has been confirmed that it has crashed," Yusuf Latif, a spokesman for the Indonesian rescue agency, said, as cited by Reuters. The plane was on its way from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta to the city of Pangkal Pinang on Sumatra, a flight slightly longer than an hour. Latif said that the jet lost contact with air traffic control 13 minutes into the flight, and crashed into the sea. The plane requested an emergency landing almost immediately after it took off, Sindu Rahayu of the Air Transportation Directorate General said at a press conference. He added that the authorities lost contact with the plane after the request. The plane was packed with 189 passengers and crew, Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency said. At least 23 government officials were on board, Reuters reports. According to FlightRadar24, it appears that #LionAir flight #JT610 was just off the coast of Indonesia at an altitude of 3,650 ft when it lost contact. pic.twitter.com/nNLdJqWXWn — Ahmer Murad 👓 (@AhmerMurad) October 29, 2018 Flight tracking service Flightradar24 says preliminary flight data shows a drop in the plane's altitude and increase in speed before the transmission was cut. The plane appears to have plunged into the sea just off the coast of Indonesia, data provided by the service shows. It was reportedly at an altitude of 3,650 feet (about 1,112m) when the signal was lost. The plane was built recently, with about 800 flight hours, the head of Indonesia's national transportation safety committee (KNKT), Dr. Soerjanto Tjahjono, said. Lion Air has confirmed that the plane was airworthy and was piloted by an experienced crew. Its pilot and co-pilot had clocked in 11,000 flight hours together. The common number of flight hours for a pilot in a year is around 1,000. The authorities will not speculate on the cause of the tragedy until the black box is retrieved and they receive a recording from an air traffic control post, Tjahjono said, as cited by The Strait Times.The newspaper reported that the plane could have carried about 20 Finance Ministry staff. It is too early to talk about the exact causes of the tragedy, but the photos of the debris appear to show that “it was a pretty high-speed impact,” aviation safety expert Hugh Ritchie told RT. He added that the aircraft model enjoyed a good reputation as “highly reliable,” and “was sought after by most of the carriers globally.” Debris from the plane, including seats, has been found floating in the Java sea near a facility belonging to state oil firm Pertamina, a company official told Reuters. Sailors on a nearby tugboat were reportedly the first witnesses of the crash. A search and rescue operation has been launched, with divers sent to search for possible survivors in the submerged wreckage. A video showing numerous vessels approaching the apparent crash site has been posted. No survivors can be seen in the footage. pray for lion air jt 610 pic.twitter.com/XreSXZTAWQ — LenyMU (@lenyMU) October 29, 2018 The first images purportedly showing debris scattered in the sea have appeared on social media.The agency’s officials say the plane “submerged at a depth of 30 to 35 meters,” adding that the rescuers located the debris about 3.7km south of where contact with the aircraft was lost. Update proses operasi SAR Evakuasi korban Lion Air pic.twitter.com/m3rya0QarV — BASARNAS (@SAR_NASIONAL) October 29, 2018 Photos circulating on social media also appear to show passenger belongings and torn pieces of the plane’s fuselage recovered by the rescuers. Some debris from #JT610 that reported has crashed this morning. pic.twitter.com/sWRSdGgG8n — Taz Imansyah (@KaitouTaz) October 29, 2018 The plane had a “technical issue” on a previous flight, which “had been resolved according to procedure,” Edward Sirait, the chief executive of Lion Air Group, said. However, he declined to specify the nature of the problem. Flight JT610 is operated by a Boeing-737 Max 8, capable of seating up to 210 passengers. It is one of the newest Boeing models, which just entered service in May 2017. Flightradar24 says that the plane was delivered to Lion Air in August. Like this story? Share it with a friend!