AirAsia flight to Singapore ‘disappears’

– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: An AirAsia flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore lost contact with air traffic control on Sunday, Indonesian media said, citing a Transport Ministry official.

Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa said the aircraft, flight number QZ 8501, lost contact with the Jakarta air traffic control tower at 6:17 a.m local time. (6.17 p.m. EST).

The Airbus 320-200 had 155 passengers and crew on board, another Indonesian Transport official said.

Mustofa said the plane had asked for an unusual route before it lost contact.

The flight had been due in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. Singapore time (0030 GMT). The Singapore airport said on its website the status of the flight was “delayed”.

— Phuket Gazette Editors