Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 Flight Loses Contact after Taking Off from Jakarta

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sriwijaya Air flight SJ 182 was reportedly lost contact with the aviation authorities. The Boeing 737-500 aircraft flew from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport heading to Pontianak. The Transportation Ministry has confirmed the news.

"[The aviation authorities] have lost contact with Sriwijaya SJY 182 flight bound for Jakarta – Pontianak route. The last contact was recorded at 14:40 Western Indonesia Time,” Sriwijaya Air spokesperson Adita Irwati said Saturday, Jan. 9.

She said the ministry is carrying out an investigation and coordinating with the national SAR team and the national transportation safety committee (KNKT). “We’ll announce an update once we received a development.”

Sriwijaya Operational Director Didi Iswandi said his side is still coordinating with several parties. “I can’t make a statement yet, I just arrived at the location (Soekarno-Hatta Airport). We’re doing coordination, I’ll make an update later,” said Didi to Tempo on Saturday, January 9.

Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 is reportedly lost at Thousand Islands (Kepualauan Seribu) area. The flight transported 56 passengers; 46 adults, 7 children, and 3 babies. The aircraft was scheduled to take off at 13:25 and arrive at the destination at 15:00 Western Indonesia Time.

Based on the information gathered from a Twitter account @ flightradar24, the flight lost contact around 4 minutes after took off from Cengkareng at 14:36 above 11,000 feet and when it was increasing the altitude at 13,000 feet. The position of the aircraft was at 11 nautical miles north of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang. 

Meanwhile, the chief of Jakarta Search and Rescue Team Hendra Sudirman said that his side was still confirming the news that the Sriwijaya Air flight fell on Seribu Island, or Thousand Island, Jakarta.

"[We’ll give an update] later, we’re still confirming [the information]," Hendra told Tempo through a short message on Saturday, Jan. 9.

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA