Indonesia Sriwijaya Air on the Jakarta-Pontianak route crashed in the waters of the Thousand Islands

Sriwijaya Air's commercial aircraft with flight code SJ 182 on the Jakarta-Pontianak route crashed in the waters of the Thousand Islands, Saturday, January 9, 2021. Previously, the plane was said to have lost contact a few minutes after takeoff. The Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed was a Boeing 737-500 with registration code PK-CLC.

The following is a summary of the crash of the Sriwijaya Air SJY 182 plane.

1. Delay

The Sriwijaya Air SJY 182 aircraft is scheduled to depart from Soekarno-Hatta Airport at 13.25 WIB. However, the plane experienced a flight delay (delay) and only aired at 14:36 ​​WIB due to weather considerations. In this flight, the plane carried 43 adult passengers, 7 child passengers, 3 infant passengers, and 12 crew.

2. Lost contact

The Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 plane on the Jakarta-Pontianak route lost contact four minutes after takeoff, on Saturday, January 9, 2021, at 14:40 WIB. Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi explained that the plane disappeared from the radar in seconds. Before being declared missing contact, the pilot had asked to rise to an altitude of 29,000 feet. At 14:37 WIB, the captain asked to go up to an altitude of 29,000 feet (cruising altitude). It was stated that contact was lost at 14:40 WIB," Budi said in a virtual press conference from Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Saturday night.

3. Location

A spokesperson for the Minister of Transportation Adita Irawati said the last position of the aircraft was known to be above the Thousand Islands. Adita explained, at 14:37 WIB, the plane passed an altitude of 1,700 feet and made contact with the Jakarta approach. At that time, the aircraft requested permission to increase its altitude towards cruising altitude. According to Adita, the plane headed northwest. "(The plane was heading to the northwest (northwest). That's why ATC asked to report the direction of the plane. (However), within seconds, the plane disappeared from the radar screen," said Adita.

4. Search effort

Deputy for Operations and Preparedness of the National SAR Agency, Maj. Gen. TNI (Mar) Bambang Suryoaji at the Basarnas Office, said that his party received news of the plane's disappearance at 14.55 WIB. After that, starting at 17.00 WIB, direct search efforts were carried out jointly by Basarnas, TNI, Polri, Ministry of Transportation, and the public at a location suspected to be the last point of the aircraft on the radar. The search for victims and the wreckage of the Sriwijaya Air SJY 182 aircraft was carried out by involving a team and equipment from the Sea and Coast Guard Unit (KPLP) of the Ministry of Transportation, the National SAR Agency (Basarnas), & the Navy.

At least eight Basarnas ships, four warships belonging to the Indonesian Navy, and six Polair ships were involved in this effort.

5. Lowering the plane's altitude

Based on FlightRadar24 data, the plane lost contact about four minutes after takeoff. The drop in altitude from cruising position to disappearing from the radar is observed in about half a minute. The debris which was suspected to be part of the Sriwijaya Air SJY 182 aircraft was found around the waters of the Thousand Islands at 18.30 WIB, and it was confirmed that the plane had an accident.