- REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Files
VIVAnews - Head of Public Relations Division of the National Search and Rescue Agency, Gagah Prakoso, said the SAR helicopter had spotted the missing Sukhoi Superjet-100.
"The team onboard the SAR helicopter saw signals of a crashed aircraft," said Gagah.
Coordinator of SAR team for the missing aircraft, I Ketut Purwa, said the aircraft was spotted on the coordinates of 0642612 and 10644412 on 2,500 feet, 3,5 kilometers of Cijeruk, West Java.
Earlier, Rescue Coordinator of PT Dirgantara Indonesia, Bambang Munardi, figured the Sukhoi Superjet-100 crashed over the base of Mt. Salak, Bogor, West Java, befor it lost contact with Halim Perdanakusuma Airport due to air turbulence.
Bambang said the aircraft had likely entered turbulent area at the heights of between 10,000 feet and 6,000 feet. The aircraft had asked permission to the air traffic controller of Halim Perdanakusuma Airport to descend from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet.
At the time the aircraft lost contact, storm was building on the South China Sea which had in turn affected the weather around Mt. Salak. "Air turbulence is most likely," he said.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has established a commission to investigate the incident with the Sukhoi Superjet 100 aircraft that went missing in Indonesia on Wednesday, RIA Novosti wrote.
The Industry and Trade Ministry’s Yury Slyusar will head the commission, which also comprises Foreign Ministry and United Aircraft Corporation officials.
The jet disappeared from radar screens during a demonstration flight near Jakarta with 48 people on board.
