May the families be given the strength and that our prayers are with them
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed his deep condolences to the Malaysian people and families who lost their loved ones on board of the Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-370.

"My deep condolences are to their families, and my prayers to those on MH370. May the soul of their loved ones rest in peace," President Yudhoyono said in his statement on his official twitter that Antara quoted here Tuesday.

In his short statement in Kuala Lumpur on Monday night, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed that the jetliner that went missing for 17 days crashed into the Indian Ocean and killed 239 people on board. Seven of the passengers are Indonesian nationals.

Najib cited the groundbreaking satellite-data analysis of the British company Inmarsat to ensure the crash of the ill-fated aircraft that lost radar contact while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, China, on early March 8.

President Yudhoyono said he learned the announcement on the lost of all passengers of the commercial aircraft with deep sadness and regret.

"To the government and people of Malaysia, please accept our heartfelt sympathy for this tragic circumstances. May the families be given the strength and that our prayers are with them," he said on his twitter.

According to the Malaysia Airlines authority, those on board of the ill-fated aircraft consisted of 153 people, including one infant, from China/Taiwan, 38 (Malaysia), seven (Indonesia), five (India), six (Australia), four (France), three including infant (USA), two (New Zealand), two (Ukraine), two (Canada), one (Russia), one (Italy), one (Netherlands), and one (Austria).

However, the Austrian and Italian authorities had denied that their citizens were on board of the MAS flight MH370. Instead, they confirmed that their respective citizens passports had been stolen when visiting Thailand.

Malaysia were assisted by a number of countries to search for the missing Boeing 777-200ER passenger jet, such as Indonesia, China, the United States, Australia, and Japan.

Indonesia itself deployed five naval ships, a rescue helicopter and the Indonesian Air Forces maritime surveillance aircraft to help search for the missing plane.
(R013/F001)

Editor: Ella Syafputri
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