[MAIL] A jet that plunged 5,000ft into the sea off Indonesia with 189 on board this morning had gone in for repairs ahead of the flight, it has emerged.
Lion Air's flight JT-610 was heading to Pangkal Pinang, an island north of the capital, Jakarta, when it lost contact with air control about 6.33am local time - just 13 minutes after take-off. Officials say they do not expect survivors.
Shortly before the disaster, the plane's pilot, Indian national Bhavye Suneja, had reported 'technical difficulties' and, minutes after take-off, asked to return to the airport, an official said. Traffic control allowed the return, but the aircraft then vanished from radar.
Authorities are not sure why the plane crashed - the weather was sunny, the aircraft was new and the pilots experienced. Websites that display flight data showed the plane speeding up as it suddenly lost altitude in the minutes before it disappeared. |