Singapore's vessels to join new search mission for AirAsia plane wreckage

2014-12-31 12:17:37 

Given that wreckage of the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 has been located some 160 km southwest of the town of Pangkalan Bun in Central Kalimantan, Singapore Navy's three vessels decided to change its original search course and is expected to reach the new search location at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, local media reported.

The three vessels, RSS Supreme, RSS Valour and RSS Persistence, had planned to reach the search zone closer to the island of Beilitung to help with the search operation, said the Lianhe Zaobao newspaper.

The mission of the vessels are also likely to change, Channel NewsAsia said, adding that body bags and sanitizing equipment have been readied to retrieve bodies.

Another vessel, the MV Swift Rescue, departed Tuesday night and will join the operation once arrives. The submarine support and rescue vessel is equipped with sensors and sonars to detect signals from the plane's black box.

Singapore so far has sent two C-130 aircraft and four vessels to join the search operation, and specialists of the Transport Ministry's Air Accident Investigation Bureau will depart for the search area on Wednesday.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong Tuesday night wrote on his facebook account that he is deeply saddened to learn the fate of AirAsia QZ8501.

"It is always difficult and painful when a disaster like this happens," He said. "My deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of loved ones of those on board, as well as the countries of the victims. We share your grief, and hope that you will overcome this great tragedy."

The AirAsia flight, which set off from Surabaya to Singapore, lost contact with air traffic control Sunday morning. Of the 162 onboard, one is a two-year-old Singapore girl, Zoe Choi, who was traveling with his father Choi Chi Man, a British national who was based in Indonesia as a senior management member at an energy firm.

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