"The residents found parts of cables, which were later retrieved,” said Jefri, Deputy Chairman of Pulau Seribu Council.
Several police officers, assisted by local residents, rushed to the waters’ area and searched for the missing aircraft, which lost contact while flying over Laki Island.
The Ministry of Transportation has confirmed that airport authorities lost contact with Sriwijaya Air flight number SJ 182, serving the Jakarta-Pontianak route, at approximately 2:40 p.m. Western Indonesian Standard Time (WIB).
"There has been contact lost with a Sriwijaya aircraft on the Jakarta - Pontianak route with the call sign of SJ 182. The last contact was at 14:40 WIB," the Ministry's Director General of Air Transportation, Novie Riyanto, told Antara here on Saturday.
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Novie said that an investigation was currently being coordinated with the National SAR Agency (Basarnas) and the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT).
"We will provide further information if there are further developments," he added.
The Boeing 737-500 plane, with registration number PK CLC, had its last contact at a position 11 nautical miles north of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Tangerang, a suburb of Jakarta, after passing an altitude of 11,000 feet and while increasing its altitude to 13,000 feet.
The Management of Sriwijaya Air continues investigating the whereabouts of flight SJ-182, which lost contact on Saturday, not long after taking off from the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.
"Management is still communicating and investigating this matter, and will immediately issue an official statement after obtaining factual information," Sriwijaya Air's Senior Manager Corporate Communication, Theodora Erika, said in a statement here on Saturday.
Based on information from Basarnas, the plane lost contact in the area of Laki Island and Lancang Island, Seribu Islands District, Jakarta, which is not far from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. (INE)
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Translator: Taufik Ridwan, Fardah
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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