AirAsia flight QZ8501: India offers to assist Indonesia in search for missing aircraft

NEW DELHI: Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has written to her Indonesian counterpart Retno Lestari Priansari offering to assist "in any way possible" in the search for the missing AirAsia aircraft carrying 162 people on board.

Swaraj said in her letter that India shared the anxiety and anguish of the family members of the victims.

Indonesian authorities said Monday that the aircraft, the Airbus A 320 was probably lying at the bottom of the Java sea.

India had earlier put on standby three ships and a maritime surveillance aircraft for assistance in the search operation after Flight QZ8501 went missing en route from Indonesia to Singapore after losing contact with air traffic controllers.

Indian Navy sources said one ship in Bay of Bengal and another two in Andaman Sea have been put on standby. Along with these, a P-8I aircraft has also been put on standby. The aircraft is used for maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare operations.

READ ALSO: AirAsia flight QZ8501 — Pilot's request for new path was rejected

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