Airbus Offers Help in Investigating Missing AirAsia Aircraft

Jakarta (Antara) - European aircraft maker Airbus said it is ready to help in the investigation of Airbus A320 aircraft of AirAsia Indonesia missing during en route from Surabaya to Singapore on Sunday. The aircraft, taking off at 05.36 local time from Surabaya to arrive in Singapore at around 08.30 is missing with 155 passengers and 7 crewmen including two pilots on board. Senior Consultant of Airbus Ameer Brontoari said in a statement in line with an international agreement ICAO Annex 13, Airbus would provide full assistance in the investigations. "Airbus hereby confirms that A320-200 operated by AirAsia Indonesia has been missing and the air traffic control (ATC) lost contact with it this morning . The aircraft was on a scheduled flight from Surabaya to Singapore," the statement said. The aircraft rolled out from the assembly plant and was handed over to AirAsia in 2008, the statement added. Until afternoon on Sunday there was no confirmation about the fate of the aircraft believed to have crash in the sea between Kalimantan and the Belitung island off Sumatra . Airbus A320-200 has a double engines with single-aisle and a seat capacity of 180 passengers. The first unit of A320 to fly was in March 1988 and so far more than 6,000 units of the aircraft were operated by 300 operators in the world. (*)