Confirmed: Lion Air 737 MAX 8 Crash Leaves 189 Dead

,  By  Dominykas

Photo: Boeing
Reading Time: 2 minutes

A Lionair Boeing 737-800 MAX, registration PK-LQP performing flight JT-610 from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang (Indonesia) with 181 passengers and 7 crew, was climbing out of Jakarta when the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of about 5400 feet, then lost height, radar contact was lost about 35nm northeast of Jakarta over the Java Sea.

Rescue services are on their way to the suspected crash site, first ships have reached the crash site and located oil slicks as well as debris from the aircraft including mobile phones and first body parts.

The Indonesia Ministry of Transportation has confirmed it has located the wreckage of Lion Air Flight JT 610, a 737 MAX 8 en route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang.

Indonesian Authorities reported it is certain the aircraft crashed north of the Karawang area in the waters of the Java Sea. First ships have reached the crash site, water depth at the site is about 30-35 meters. At the surface there were oil slicks as well as debris from the aircraft. No survivors or bodies have been found so far.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Transport reported a tug boat saw an aircraft crash into the Java sea. Radar contact with the aircraft carrying 178 passengers, 2 babies and one infant as well as two pilots and five flight attendants was lost at position S5.8156 E107.1231.

The accident aircraft was registered on Aug 15th 2018 and received its certificate of airworthiness also on Aug 15th 2018.

Indonesia’s BASARNAS are in charge of the rescue and recovery operation and are sending their units to the suspected crash site.

Indonesia’s Civil Aviation Authority reported the aircraft requested to return to Jakarta.

Basarnas reports there are currently attempts to dive to the aircraft in the waters about 30-35 meters deep. First debris has been collected from the water surface including mobile phones and first body parts.

Source: avherald.com