Russian Plane Crash in Indonesia (Updates): Wreckage spotted, but no signs of survivors

CIDAHU, Indonesia (Thu, May 10) – There are no signs of survivors as a helicopter belonged to search and rescue teams has spotted the horrified remains of a Russian-made passenger plane Thursday with 47 ill-fated people on board, including eight crew members. 

Russian Plane Crash in Indonesia (Updates): Wreckage spotted, but no signs of survivors

The Russian Sukhoi aircraft crashed yesterday into a sharp cliff on a long-dormant Indonesian volcano during a demo flight to prospective customers and journalists.

According to details; the Sukhoi Superjet-100, Russia's first new passenger jet since the fall of the Soviet Union two decades ago, lost the contact with air traffic radio control at about 4:00 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT) on Wednesday after it descended to 6,000 feet around Mount Salak, a dormant volcano 7,254 feet above sea level (just 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Jakarta), officials said.

 

Search and rescue teams began searching the heavily wooded area immediately after the plane was reported missing. Later on the company's blue-and-white logo peeked through the dense canopy of trees, said search and rescue official Ketut Parwa.  

Family members, many of whom spent a long, sleepless night at the airport, broke down in tears on hearing the news. Others stared blankly ahead in disbelief.

The aircraft was carrying Indonesian businessmen, Russian embassy officials and journalists. Dimitry Solodov from the embassy said there were eight Russians on board, including pilots and technicians.

Those on board included eight crew and 42 guests according to figures from the Russian embassy, Sunaryo, chairman of Sukhoi's Indonesian agent, PT Trimarga Rekatama, told a news conference late on Wednesday.

The aircraft made two demonstration flights on Wednesday. It returned to Halim Perdanakusuma airport, east of Jakarta, after the first flight where some people got off and others boarded.

Sukhoi, which has orders for 170 planes worldwide, plans to produce up to 1,000 Superjets, primarily for foreign markets.

It aimed to sell 42 planes to Indonesia, which is seeing a fast-expanding aviation market that aims to tap travel by a growing middle class in the world's fourth-most populous nation.

The jet was developed with Western design advice and technology from companies including Italy's Finmeccanica, as well as avionics and engine equipment from French aerospace firms Thales and Safran.

Built in a converted corner of a Sukhoi fighter factory in Siberia, the Superjet was unveiled in 2007 as part of a drive to restore pride in Russia's aviation industry, but it ran into a series of development delays.

The Superjet 100, with a capacity of 68-103 passengers, is already in service with Russia's Aeroflot and Armenian carrier Armavia and is half way through a 15,500-km (9,630-mile), six-nation Asian tour to try to drum up more international customers.

The aircraft is being marketed internationally in partnership with Finmeccanica subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica.

Report Tags: Sukhoi, Sukhi Superjet-100, Russian Plane Crash, Indonesia plane crash, Demonstration flight, Russia, Indonesia, Tragedy, Plane crash