Indonesia plane crash LIVE: Wreckage and ‘suspected body parts’ found after Boeing 737 carrying 62 crashes in sea

INDONESIAN TRANSPORT MINISTER SAYS FLIGHT WAS DELAYED FOR AN HOUR BEFORE TAKE OFF

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said Flight SJ182 was delayed for an hour before it took off at 2:36pm local time.

The Boeing 737-500 disappeared from radar four minutes later, after the pilot contacted air traffic control to ascend to an altitude of 29,000 feet (8,839 meters), he said.

The airline said in a statement that the plane was on an estimated 90-minute flight from Jakarta to Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan province on Indonesias Borneo island.

The plane was carrying 50 passengers and 12 crew members, all Indonesian nationals, including six extra crew for another trip.

Sumadi said a dozen vessels, including four warships, were deployed in a search-and-rescue operation centered between Lancang island and Laki island, part of the Thousand Islands chain just north of Jakarta.

MAPPED: SRIWIJAYA AIR BOEING 737'S FLIGHT PATH

MISSING SRIWIJAYA AIR PLANE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION

The Sriwijaya Air plane that went missing on Saturday after taking off from the Indonesian capital Jakarta with 62 people on board was in good condition.

The airline's chief executive, Jefferson Irwin Jauwena, told reporters the flight was delayed for 30 minutes before it could take off, due to heavy rain.

WHAT IS THE BOEING 737-500?

The Boeing 737-500 is part of the 737 family, the world's most-flown commercial aircraft series. It was developed in the 1960s to serve short- or medium-length routes.

The 737-500 entered service in 1990 and comes from the second of four generations of 737, dubbed 737 Classic.

It shares only limited features with the fourth and latest generation, Boeing's problem-plagued 737 MAX, and does not have the flawed cockpit software that contributed to two fatal crashes and triggered the MAX's 20-month grounding.

But the 737-500 has mostly been phased out in favour of younger, more fuel-efficient models for economic reasons.

The aircraft that crashed was almost 27 years old and was originally flown by carriers in the United States.

CONTINUED

Indonesia’s transport ministry says a search and rescue investigation has been launched after contact was lost with the jet which was en route to Pontianak on the island of Borneo.

A total of 56 passengers and six crew members were on the flight while reports say the jet was carrying seven children including three babies.

Pictures of the wreckage - most of which was found by fisherman - has been broadcast widely on Indonesian TV.

Zulkifli, a security official, told CNN Indonesia: "We found some cables, a piece of jeans and pieces of metal on the water."

RECAP - BOEING 737 CARRYING 62 CRASHES IN SEA

A passenger plane has crashed after "falling 10,000ft" moments after taking off with 62 people feared dead, it has been reported.

Disturbing images have emerged of rescue workers holding mangled debris from the Boeing 737 which plunged into the Java Sea in Indonesia today.

Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 fell 10,000ft in under 60 seconds - less than four minutes after taking off from Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Flightradar24 reports.

One social media user responded to the site's data, saying: "That's freefall."

Locals on Thousand Island - north of Jakarta - said they heard two explosions before finding debris floating in the sea.

62 PEOPLE ON BOARD

Indonesian transport minister Budi Karya has confirmed that 62 people were aboard the plane, including 12 crew. 

Another official had previously said there were 56 passengers and six crew members.

FLIGHT PATH OF BOEING 737

MISSING PLANE WAS 'IN GOOD CONDITION'

The plane that went missing with 62 people on board was in good condition, the airline's chief executive Jefferson Irwin Jauwena told reporters.

He also said the flight was delayed for 30 minutes before it could take off due to heavy rain.

CRISIS CENTRE

Bosses at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport have opened a crisis centre to deal with the incident.

COORDINATES FOUND

The Indonesian Navy has determined the coordinates of a Sriwijaya Air plane that went missing after taking off from the capital Jakarta, Navy official Abdul Rasyid said.

He added ships have been deployed to the location.

The official told reporters: "The coordinates have been found and have been given to all Navy vessels in the area."

PICTURED: RELATIVES OF PASSENGERS WAIT FOR NEWS

The relatives of passengers who were on board the missing Sriwijaya Air flight for news at the Supadio airport in Pontianak on Indonesia's Borneo island.

DATA ON THE MISSING FLIGHT

BOEING - RECENT HISTORY OF ISSUES WITH 737 AIRCRAFTS

Boeing has been rocked in the past with crashes involving their 737 Max planes - although that model was not involved in the Sriwijaya crash.

And in chilling echoes of today's incident, the Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the Java Sea 2018 - 12 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing 189 people.

Almost five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 - another 737 - went down after take off from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The two crashes saw Boeing hit with $2.5billion in fines and the 737 Max model was grounded worldwide.

COMMENT FROM AIRLINE REGARDING MISSING PLANE

In a statement, the budget airline said it was still gathering information.

A spokesperson said: "Sriwijaya Air is still in contact with various related parties to get more detailed information regarding the SJ-182 flight from Jakarta to Pontianak.

"Management is still communicating and investigating this matter and will immediately issue an official statement after obtaining the actual information."

WHO IS SRIWAIJAYA AIR?

Sriwaijaya Air is one of Indonesia's leading domestic airlines.

It carries more than 1,000 passengers every month to 55 destinations in its two regional countries.

RECAP - JET PLUNGE

A passenger plane has crashed after "falling 10,000ft" moments after taking off with 62 people feared dead, it has been reported.

Disturbing images have emerged of rescue workers holding mangled debris from the Boeing 737 which reportedly plunged into the Java Sea in Indonesia today.

Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 fell 10,000ft in less than 60 seconds - less than four minutes after taking off from Jakarta.

Flightradar24 tweeted: "We are following reports of a missing Boeing 737-500 in Indonesia.

"We hope to have more information soon."

AN AVIATION SECURITY OFFICER OUTSIDE SRIWIJAYA OFFICE

'PLANE WRECKAGE' FOUND IN JAVA SEA

RESCUE AND INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY SAYS INDONESIAN TRANSPORT MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON

Adita Irawati, the Indonesian Transport Ministry spokesperson, told the : “At this point, we are investigating and coordinating the matter with Basarnas [the search and rescue agency] and KNKT [the transport safety body].

"We will release more information as soon as there are developments.”

INDONESIAN SOLDIERS ARE SEEN AT SOEKARNO-HATTA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL SAYS FISHERMEN FOUND WRECKAGE OF AIRCRAFT IN WATERS NORTH OF JAKARTA

Surachman, a local government official, told local TV station, Kompass TV, that fishermen found what appeared to be the wreckage of an aircraft in waters north of the capital.

MORE DEBRIS SPOTTED IN JAVA SEA

INDONESIA'S TRANSPORT MINISTRY LAUNCH RESCUE PROBE

Indonesia’s transport ministry says a search and rescue probe has been launched after contact was lost with the pilot.

HOW OLD IS THE PLANE?

The aircraft was first part of Continental Airlines in 1994 before joining Sriwijaya Air’s fleet in 2012.