Jakarta(ANTARA News) - The search and rescue team has deployed a multibeam echosounder sonar on Tuesday to locate the Lion Air JT610 aircraft that crashed in the waters of Karawang in West Java.

"The device will scour the seabed in search of large metal objects. After that (the object is found), our divers will go down there," Head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) M. Syuagi stated at the Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta.

The technology is expected to facilitate the search process, he noted.

According to Syuagi, the depth of the waters, forecast to be around 30-35 meters, could not guarantee that the search operation would be easy.

"With appropriate device and human resources, I think we can find them soon," he added.

The Basarnas has deployed 150 personnel in the search and rescue operation in addition to the military and police personnel.

A Boeing 737 Max 8 flight JT610, operated by Lion Air, crashed in the Karawang waters on Monday, some 15 minutes after taking off from the Soekarno Hatta Airport in Banten and was en route to Pangkaplpinang.

The aircraft, bearing registration number PK-LQP, was last detected on the radar at coordinates 05 46.15 S - 107 07.16 E. It was scheduled to arrive in Pangkalpinang at 7:10 a.m. local time.

Basarnas confirmed that the aircraft, with 189 people on board, crashed in the Karawang waters of West Java.



Reporting by Aubrey Kandelila Fanani
Editing by Sri Haryati

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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