Malaysia, Singapore leaders vow aid in search efforts for missing AirAsia flight

MANILA, Philippines—The leaders of Malaysia and Singapore offered their help shortly after the AirAsia flight QZ8501from Indonesia bound for Singapore went missing Sunday morning.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. INQUIRER file photo

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said on his official Twitter account that his country is “ready to help.”

“Very sad to hear that AirAsia Indonesia QZ8501 is missing. My thoughts are with the families. Malaysia stands ready to help,” Razak said.

Malaysia has been hit with two aviation tragedies in 2014 as Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 carrying 239 passengers went missing last March; and Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down above Ukraine last July, killing all 298 people on board.

AirAsia, a low-cost airline company, is based in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong sympathized with the families of the passengers in the said AirAsia flight, adding that two Singaporean aircrafts are on stand-by to help in search and rescue efforts.

“Called Pres @jokowi_do2 to offer help. Two RSAF C-130 search & locate aircrafts are on standby. Our ministers will follow up. – LHL #QZ8501,” Loong said.

AirAsia flight QZ8501, carrying 155 passengers and seven crew members, took off from Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Indonesia at 5:35 a.m (Surabaya local time) and was set to arrive in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. However, at 7:24 a.m, it lost contact with air traffic control on the ground.

AirAsia reported that the plane’s captain requested for deviation from its original flight plan due to bad weather.

RELATED STORIES

AirAsia plane with 162 on board missing in Indonesia

Netizens hit AirAsia logo, cover photo change amid search for missing plane