According to a Dutch firm, the number of people killed due to crashes by commercial planes in 2019 fell by over fifty per cent despite <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-the-fall-of-brand-boeing-268899">Boeing</a> 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia.&nbsp;

Dutch aviation consulting firm To70 said that there were eighty-six accidents which involved large commerical planes in 2019 which resulted in 257 people being killed. It said that there were eight fatal accidents last year. The study found in 2018, 160 accidents occurred with 13 described as being fatal in which 534 people were reportedly killed.&nbsp;

A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/airbus-beats-goal-with-863-jet-deliveries-in-2019-ousts-boeing-from-top-spot-271445">Boeing Lion Air </a>737 MAX airliner had crashed in Indonesia in October killing all 189 people on board. Indonesian investigators in a report said the crash occurred due to design flaws in the software.

The Dutch research included crew members, flight attendants, passengers among those killed along with people who were killed on the ground.

In March, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane crashed with &nbsp;157 people on board. Ethiopian Airlines grounded its Boeing Co 737 MAX 8 fleet after the devastating crash which was followed by China and several other countries.

As a result of the crashes, Boeing temporarily halted production of its grounded 737 Max for the first time in more than 20 years.

In October, Boeing CEO Muilenburg stepped down amid the crashes as the company appointed David Calhoun as the new CEO. Calhoun will take over the duties of CEO and the President from January 13, 2020. The company fired Kevin McAllister, a top executive linked to the MAX air disaster.

The company named veteran executive Stan Deal to the top job at commercial planes.&nbsp;

Boeing's profits fell in the third quarter after the crashes as the company cut production of its flagship Dreamliner and delayed the arrival of a successor to its 777 mini-jumbo.

According to a Dutch firm, the number of people killed due to crashes by commercial planes in 2019 fell by over fifty per cent despite Boeing 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia.

According to a Dutch firm, the number of people killed due to crashes by commercial planes in 2019 fell by over fifty per cent despite Boeing 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia. Dutch aviation consulting firm To70 said that there were eighty-six accidents which involved large commerical planes in 2019 which resulted in 257 people being killed. It said that there were eight fatal accidents last year. The study found in 2018, 160 accidents occurred with 13 described as being fatal in which 534 people were reportedly killed. A Boeing Lion Air 737 MAX airliner had crashed in Indonesia in October killing all 189 people on board. Indonesian investigators in a report said the crash occurred due to design flaws in the software. The Dutch research included crew members, flight attendants, passengers among those killed along with people who were killed on the ground. In March, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane crashed with 157 people on board. Ethiopian Airlines grounded its Boeing Co 737 MAX 8 fleet after the devastating crash which was followed by China and several other countries. As a result of the crashes, Boeing temporarily halted production of its grounded 737 Max for the first time in more than 20 years. In October, Boeing CEO Muilenburg stepped down amid the crashes as the company appointed David Calhoun as the new CEO. Calhoun will take over the duties of CEO and the President from January 13, 2020. The company fired Kevin McAllister, a top executive linked to the MAX air disaster. The company named veteran executive Stan Deal to the top job at commercial planes. Boeing's profits fell in the third quarter after the crashes as the company cut production of its flagship Dreamliner and delayed the arrival of a successor to its 777 mini-jumbo.

Major commercial plane crash deaths down over 50% in 2019: Study

The ill-fated Lion Air flight, which <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-lion-air-plane-with-189-on-board-crashes-into-sea-authorities-search-for-remains-174139">crashed off the coast of Indonesia</a> on Monday, was commanded by Bhavye Suneja, a Delhi resident.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Suneja joined the airlines in March 2011. Before joining the Indonesian company, Suneja worked as trainee with Emirates for four months.

Suneja did his schooling from Ahlcon Pubic School in Mayur Vihar and obtained the commercial pilot license after graduating from Bel-Air International flight school in 2009.

The Boeing-737 MAX, which went into service just months ago, vanished from radar 13 minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital early on Monday, plunging into the Java Sea with 189 passengers and crew.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-air-safety-still-remains-questionable-174127">Indonesian airlines have some of the world's worst safety records</a>

Video footage apparently filmed at the scene of the crash showed a slick of fuel on the surface of the water.

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted pictures of debris of Lion Air flight JT610, including what appeared to be an emergency slide and various parts of a smashed mobile phone.

Items such as handphones and life vests were found in waters about 30 metres to 35 metres deep near where the plane lost contact, Indonesia's search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi said.

"We don't know yet whether there are any survivors," agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference, adding that no distress signal had been received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter.

"We hope, we pray, but we cannot confirm."

Ambulances were lined up at Karawang, on the coast east of Jakarta and police were preparing rubber dinghies, a Reuters reporter said.

At least 23 government officials were on board the plane, which an air navigation spokesman said had sought to turn back just before losing contact.

The privately owned airline said in a statement, the aircraft, which had only been in operation since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having accumulated 11,000 hours of flying time.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The ill-fated Lion Air flight, which crashed off the coast of Indonesia on Monday, was commanded by Bhavye Suneja, a Delhi resident. According to his LinkedIn profile, Suneja joined the airlines in March 2011.

The ill-fated Lion Air flight, which crashed off the coast of Indonesia on Monday, was commanded by Bhavye Suneja, a Delhi resident. According to his LinkedIn profile, Suneja joined the airlines in March 2011. Before joining the Indonesian company, Suneja worked as trainee with Emirates for four months. Suneja did his schooling from Ahlcon Pubic School in Mayur Vihar and obtained the commercial pilot license after graduating from Bel-Air International flight school in 2009. The Boeing-737 MAX, which went into service just months ago, vanished from radar 13 minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital early on Monday, plunging into the Java Sea with 189 passengers and crew. Also read: Indonesian airlines have some of the world's worst safety records Video footage apparently filmed at the scene of the crash showed a slick of fuel on the surface of the water. Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted pictures of debris of Lion Air flight JT610, including what appeared to be an emergency slide and various parts of a smashed mobile phone. Items such as handphones and life vests were found in waters about 30 metres to 35 metres deep near where the plane lost contact, Indonesia's search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi said. "We don't know yet whether there are any survivors," agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference, adding that no distress signal had been received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter. "We hope, we pray, but we cannot confirm." Ambulances were lined up at Karawang, on the coast east of Jakarta and police were preparing rubber dinghies, a Reuters reporter said. At least 23 government officials were on board the plane, which an air navigation spokesman said had sought to turn back just before losing contact. The privately owned airline said in a statement, the aircraft, which had only been in operation since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having accumulated 11,000 hours of flying time. (With inputs from Reuters)

Delhi boy Bhavye Suneja was flying Lion Air plane that crashed with 189 on board 

An Indonesian diver died while recovering body parts from the ill-fated Lion Air plane which crashed into the sea killing 189 people, an official said Saturday.

Syachrul Anto, 48, who died on Friday, was part of the team searching for body parts and debris from the jet in the Java Sea.

"He was a volunteer with the Search and Rescue Agency," Isswarto, commander of the Indonesian navy's search and rescue division, told AFP.

It is believed he died from decompression, he added.

Anto had previously served in Palu which suffered from an earthquake and tsunami in September and also took part in the evacuation process of an Air Asia plane crash nearly four years ago.&nbsp;

The Lion Air plane which plummeted Monday was on route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city on Sumatra island.&nbsp;

It plunged into the water just minutes after takeoff, killing everyone on board.

Officials on Thursday retrieved the Flight Data Recorder but are still searching for the second black box, the Cockpit Voice Recorder, which could answer the question as to why the brand new Boeing-737 MAX 8 crashed.&nbsp;

The budget carrier's admission that the doomed jet had a technical issue on a previous flight -- as well its abrupt fatal dive -- have raised questions about whether it had mechanical faults specific to the new model.

At least 73 bags containing body parts have been retrieved from the waters so far but only four have been identified.

Founded in 1999, Lion Air is a budget airline operating in Indonesia and in some parts of Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

But it has been plagued by safety concerns and customer complaints over unreliable scheduling and poor service.

The carrier has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash and a collision between two Lion Air planes at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

An Indonesian diver died while recovering body parts from the ill-fated Lion Air plane which crashed into the sea killing 189 people, an official said Saturday. Syachrul Anto, 48, who died on Friday, was part of the team searching for body parts and debris from the jet in the Java Sea.

An Indonesian diver died while recovering body parts from the ill-fated Lion Air plane which crashed into the sea killing 189 people, an official said Saturday. Syachrul Anto, 48, who died on Friday, was part of the team searching for body parts and debris from the jet in the Java Sea. "He was a volunteer with the Search and Rescue Agency," Isswarto, commander of the Indonesian navy's search and rescue division, told AFP. It is believed he died from decompression, he added. Anto had previously served in Palu which suffered from an earthquake and tsunami in September and also took part in the evacuation process of an Air Asia plane crash nearly four years ago. The Lion Air plane which plummeted Monday was on route from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang city on Sumatra island. It plunged into the water just minutes after takeoff, killing everyone on board. Officials on Thursday retrieved the Flight Data Recorder but are still searching for the second black box, the Cockpit Voice Recorder, which could answer the question as to why the brand new Boeing-737 MAX 8 crashed. The budget carrier's admission that the doomed jet had a technical issue on a previous flight -- as well its abrupt fatal dive -- have raised questions about whether it had mechanical faults specific to the new model. At least 73 bags containing body parts have been retrieved from the waters so far but only four have been identified. Founded in 1999, Lion Air is a budget airline operating in Indonesia and in some parts of Southeast Asia, Australia and the Middle East. But it has been plagued by safety concerns and customer complaints over unreliable scheduling and poor service. The carrier has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash and a collision between two Lion Air planes at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

Diver dies in search for Indonesia jet crash remains

The pilot of a Lion Air flight from Indonesia's Bali island on Sunday made a radio alert minutes after take-off due to technical problems, but they were overcome and he pushed on to Jakarta. The same jet crashed on another flight hours later, killing all 189 people on board.

Herson, chief of the airport authority for the Bali-Nusa Tenggara area, told Reuters that after the alert the pilot updated the control tower to say that the plane was flying normally and he would not return to the airport as requested.

"The captain himself was confident enough to fly to Jakarta from Denpasar," said Herson, who goes by one name, speaking by phone from Bali and referring to the resort island's airport.

The pilot of another plane that was approaching Bali just after the Lion Air jet had taken off said he was ordered to circle above the airport and listened in to a radio conversation between the Lion Air pilot and air traffic controllers.

"Because of the Pan-Pan call, we were told to hold off, circling the airport in the air," said the pilot, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

"The Lion plane requested to return back to Bali five minutes after take-off, but then the pilot said the problem had been resolved and he was going to go ahead to Jakarta."

Pilots use 'Pan-Pan' calls to flag urgent situations. They are a step down from 'Mayday', which signals severe distress.

The Denpasar-Jakarta flight landed at the Indonesian capital's airport at 10:55 p.m. local time on Sunday.

The same Boeing 737 MAX jet took off at 6:20 am the next morning, bound for Bangka island, off Sumatra, and plunged into the sea 13 minutes later. Just before the crash, the pilot had made a request to return to base.

A Lion Air spokesman declined to comment when asked about the alert on the earlier flight, citing the ongoing crash investigation.

The budget airline's CEO, Edward Sirait, said earlier this week that a technical problem had occurred on the Denpasar-Jakarta flight but it had been resolved "according to procedure".

Amid media speculation over the airworthiness of the aircraft, the transport minister suspended Lion Air's technical director and three other officers on Wednesday to facilitate the crash investigation.

The suspended technicians "issued the recommendations for that (final) flight", the ministry said in a press release. It did not say how many technicians had been suspended.

The country's second-deadliest air disaster since 1997 has renewed concern about Indonesia's patchy aviation safety record.

It will also put a spotlight on Boeing's 737 MAX, which was introduced into commercial service last year and until Monday had an accident-free record. The narrowbody MAX is an update of Boeing’s 737 series, the world’s most produced family of commercial aircraft and one widely considered to have a strong safety record.

Erratic flight

During its earlier flight from Bali on Sunday, JT43, the aircraft flew erratically and its airspeed readings were unreliable, according to an accident investigator and a flight tracking website.

According to data from FlightRadar24, the jet displayed unusual variations in altitude and airspeed in the first several minutes of flight - including an 875-foot drop over 27 seconds when it would normally be ascending - before stabilising and flying on to Jakarta.

However, the pilots kept the plane at a maximum altitude of 28,000 feet compared with 36,000 feet on the same route earlier in the week.

National Transport Safety Committee (NTSC) deputy chief Haryo Satmiko told reporters on Tuesday there were technical problems on the flight, including unreliable airspeed readings.

Divers on Thursday retrieved a flight data recorder from the plane that lay shattered on the muddy sea floor off the coast of Jakarta. The NTSC said it would examine the device to get a clearer picture of what happened on the flight from Bali on Sunday in addition to the flight that crashed on Monday.

Herson, the airport authority chief in Bali, said the aircraft had encountered a "speed and altimeter" problem but the captain was confident that it was airworthy and pressed on.

"He requested to return to the airport for RTB (return to base) but ... they updated and flew to Jakarta. The pilot double-checked to ensure that they could fly," he said.

Two passengers from Sunday's flight posted on Instagram, reporting that they had been concerned about problems with the air conditioning system and cabin lighting before the plane left Bali nearly three hours late.

Another passenger on JT43 described, in a talkshow broadcast by Indonesia's TVOne, a turbulent flight during which the seatbelt signs were never turned off.

"When the plane took off, it climbed and then went down. It rose again, and then dropped again violently, shaking," said Diah Mardani. "Everyone in the plane shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), Subhanallah (Glory to God). We recited every prayer we knew."

The pilot of a Lion Air flight from Indonesia's Bali island on Sunday made a radio alert minutes after take-off due to technical problems, but they were overcome and he pushed on to Jakarta.

The pilot of a Lion Air flight from Indonesia's Bali island on Sunday made a radio alert minutes after take-off due to technical problems, but they were overcome and he pushed on to Jakarta. The same jet crashed on another flight hours later, killing all 189 people on board. Herson, chief of the airport authority for the Bali-Nusa Tenggara area, told Reuters that after the alert the pilot updated the control tower to say that the plane was flying normally and he would not return to the airport as requested. "The captain himself was confident enough to fly to Jakarta from Denpasar," said Herson, who goes by one name, speaking by phone from Bali and referring to the resort island's airport. The pilot of another plane that was approaching Bali just after the Lion Air jet had taken off said he was ordered to circle above the airport and listened in to a radio conversation between the Lion Air pilot and air traffic controllers. "Because of the Pan-Pan call, we were told to hold off, circling the airport in the air," said the pilot, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media. "The Lion plane requested to return back to Bali five minutes after take-off, but then the pilot said the problem had been resolved and he was going to go ahead to Jakarta." Pilots use 'Pan-Pan' calls to flag urgent situations. They are a step down from 'Mayday', which signals severe distress. The Denpasar-Jakarta flight landed at the Indonesian capital's airport at 10:55 p.m. local time on Sunday. The same Boeing 737 MAX jet took off at 6:20 am the next morning, bound for Bangka island, off Sumatra, and plunged into the sea 13 minutes later. Just before the crash, the pilot had made a request to return to base. A Lion Air spokesman declined to comment when asked about the alert on the earlier flight, citing the ongoing crash investigation. The budget airline's CEO, Edward Sirait, said earlier this week that a technical problem had occurred on the Denpasar-Jakarta flight but it had been resolved "according to procedure". Amid media speculation over the airworthiness of the aircraft, the transport minister suspended Lion Air's technical director and three other officers on Wednesday to facilitate the crash investigation. The suspended technicians "issued the recommendations for that (final) flight", the ministry said in a press release. It did not say how many technicians had been suspended. The country's second-deadliest air disaster since 1997 has renewed concern about Indonesia's patchy aviation safety record. It will also put a spotlight on Boeing's 737 MAX, which was introduced into commercial service last year and until Monday had an accident-free record. The narrowbody MAX is an update of Boeing’s 737 series, the world’s most produced family of commercial aircraft and one widely considered to have a strong safety record. Erratic flight During its earlier flight from Bali on Sunday, JT43, the aircraft flew erratically and its airspeed readings were unreliable, according to an accident investigator and a flight tracking website. According to data from FlightRadar24, the jet displayed unusual variations in altitude and airspeed in the first several minutes of flight - including an 875-foot drop over 27 seconds when it would normally be ascending - before stabilising and flying on to Jakarta. However, the pilots kept the plane at a maximum altitude of 28,000 feet compared with 36,000 feet on the same route earlier in the week. National Transport Safety Committee (NTSC) deputy chief Haryo Satmiko told reporters on Tuesday there were technical problems on the flight, including unreliable airspeed readings. Divers on Thursday retrieved a flight data recorder from the plane that lay shattered on the muddy sea floor off the coast of Jakarta. The NTSC said it would examine the device to get a clearer picture of what happened on the flight from Bali on Sunday in addition to the flight that crashed on Monday. Herson, the airport authority chief in Bali, said the aircraft had encountered a "speed and altimeter" problem but the captain was confident that it was airworthy and pressed on. "He requested to return to the airport for RTB (return to base) but ... they updated and flew to Jakarta. The pilot double-checked to ensure that they could fly," he said. Two passengers from Sunday's flight posted on Instagram, reporting that they had been concerned about problems with the air conditioning system and cabin lighting before the plane left Bali nearly three hours late. Another passenger on JT43 described, in a talkshow broadcast by Indonesia's TVOne, a turbulent flight during which the seatbelt signs were never turned off. "When the plane took off, it climbed and then went down. It rose again, and then dropped again violently, shaking," said Diah Mardani. "Everyone in the plane shouted Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), Subhanallah (Glory to God). We recited every prayer we knew."

Pilot radioed alert on doomed Indonesian jet's previous flight

Indonesia's transport minister has ordered the removal of Lion Air's technical director and several technicians linked to a deadly plane crash, state news agency Antara reported Wednesday, citing government authority over the aviation industry.

"Today we will remove Lion's technical director from his duties to be replaced by someone else, as well as technical staff" who cleared the flight to depart, Budi Karya Sumadi was reported as saying.

Indonesia's transport minister has ordered the removal of Lion Air's technical director and several technicians linked to a deadly plane crash, state news agency Antara reported Wednesday, citing government authority over the aviation industry.

Indonesia's transport minister has ordered the removal of Lion Air's technical director and several technicians linked to a deadly plane crash, state news agency Antara reported Wednesday, citing government authority over the aviation industry. "Today we will remove Lion's technical director from his duties to be replaced by someone else, as well as technical staff" who cleared the flight to depart, Budi Karya Sumadi was reported as saying.

Indonesia orders removal of Lion Air technical director after crash: State media

Indonesia on Tuesday stepped up a search for an airliner that plunged into the sea with all 189 aboard feared dead, deploying underwater beacons to trace its black box recorders and uncover why an almost-new plane crashed minutes after take-off.

Indonesia, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, has a patchy safety record. With the now almost certain prospect of all on board having died, the crash is set to rank as the country's second-worst air disaster.

Ground staff lost contact with flight JT610 of budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft took off early on Monday from the airport in Jakarta, the capital, on its way to Indonesia's tin-mining region.

"Hopefully this morning we can find the wreckage or fuselage," Soerjanto Tjahjono, the head of a national transport safety panel, told Reuters, adding that an underwater acoustic beacon was deployed to locate the main body of the plane.

The search and rescue agency added that four sonar detectors were also being used in areas where aircraft debris was found a day earlier off the shore of Karawang, West Java, and 15 vessels were scouring the sea surface.

A helicopter circled over five rubber boats carrying about 36 rescuers, as some donned rubber suits, readying to dive.

Earlier, however, Yusuf Latif, the spokesman of the national search and rescue agency, had said finding survivors "would be a miracle", judging by the condition of the recovered debris and body parts.

In a statement, Lion Air said human remains were collected in 24 body bags after sweeps of the site of the crash, in waters about 30 to 35 metres (98 to 115 ft) deep roughly 15 km (nine miles) off the coast to the northeast of Jakarta.

The bags were taken to a hospital for identification, with more expected overnight, authorities told broadcaster Metro TV.

On tarpaulins at Jakarta's port, officers laid out items retrieved from the sea, ranging from oxygen bottles to personal effects such as wallets, a mobile telephone, cash and backpacks.

Although searchers halted efforts overnight, sonar vessels and an underwater drone kept up the hunt for the wreckage, where many victims were feared trapped, officials said.

A witness in Karawang said he had heard an explosion from the beach around the time the aircraft went down.

"I thought it was thunder, but it was different from thunder - 'Boom!' - It was loud," said Dadang Hambali.

On Monday, the US&nbsp;National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing Co said they were providing assistance in the crash investigation.

(For details of search, crash inquiry, please click on)

The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's workhorse single-aisle jet.

Privately owned Lion Air, founded in 1999, said the aircraft, which had been in operation since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having amassed 11,000 hours of flying time.

The pilot of flight JT610, which was bound for Pangkal Pinang in the Bangka-Belitung tin-mining region, had asked to return to base (RTB) shortly after take-off about 6.20 a.m., with landing set for 7.20 a.m. in the city of Pangkal Pinang.

"An RTB was requested and had been approved but we're still trying to figure out the reason," Tjahjono told reporters on Monday.

No distress signal was received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter, search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference.

The aircraft suffered a technical problem on a flight from the resort island of Bali to Jakarta on Sunday night but it was "resolved according to procedure", Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group, told reporters.

Sirait declined to specify the nature of the issue but said none of the airline's other aircraft of that model had the same problem. Lion had operated 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and it had no plan to ground the rest of them, he said.

Indonesia's worst air disaster was in 1997, when a Garuda Indonesia A300 crashed in the city of Medan, killing 234 people.

Indonesia on Tuesday stepped up a search for an airliner that plunged into the sea with all 189 aboard feared dead, deploying underwater beacons to trace its black box recorders and uncover why an almost-new plane crashed minutes after take-off.

Indonesia on Tuesday stepped up a search for an airliner that plunged into the sea with all 189 aboard feared dead, deploying underwater beacons to trace its black box recorders and uncover why an almost-new plane crashed minutes after take-off. Indonesia, one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets, has a patchy safety record. With the now almost certain prospect of all on board having died, the crash is set to rank as the country's second-worst air disaster. Ground staff lost contact with flight JT610 of budget airline Lion Air 13 minutes after the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft took off early on Monday from the airport in Jakarta, the capital, on its way to Indonesia's tin-mining region. "Hopefully this morning we can find the wreckage or fuselage," Soerjanto Tjahjono, the head of a national transport safety panel, told Reuters, adding that an underwater acoustic beacon was deployed to locate the main body of the plane. The search and rescue agency added that four sonar detectors were also being used in areas where aircraft debris was found a day earlier off the shore of Karawang, West Java, and 15 vessels were scouring the sea surface. A helicopter circled over five rubber boats carrying about 36 rescuers, as some donned rubber suits, readying to dive. Earlier, however, Yusuf Latif, the spokesman of the national search and rescue agency, had said finding survivors "would be a miracle", judging by the condition of the recovered debris and body parts. In a statement, Lion Air said human remains were collected in 24 body bags after sweeps of the site of the crash, in waters about 30 to 35 metres (98 to 115 ft) deep roughly 15 km (nine miles) off the coast to the northeast of Jakarta. The bags were taken to a hospital for identification, with more expected overnight, authorities told broadcaster Metro TV. On tarpaulins at Jakarta's port, officers laid out items retrieved from the sea, ranging from oxygen bottles to personal effects such as wallets, a mobile telephone, cash and backpacks. Although searchers halted efforts overnight, sonar vessels and an underwater drone kept up the hunt for the wreckage, where many victims were feared trapped, officials said. A witness in Karawang said he had heard an explosion from the beach around the time the aircraft went down. "I thought it was thunder, but it was different from thunder - 'Boom!' - It was loud," said Dadang Hambali. On Monday, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing Co said they were providing assistance in the crash investigation. (For details of search, crash inquiry, please click on) The accident is the first to be reported involving the widely sold Boeing 737 MAX, an updated, more fuel-efficient version of the manufacturer's workhorse single-aisle jet. Privately owned Lion Air, founded in 1999, said the aircraft, which had been in operation since August, was airworthy, with its pilot and co-pilot together having amassed 11,000 hours of flying time. The pilot of flight JT610, which was bound for Pangkal Pinang in the Bangka-Belitung tin-mining region, had asked to return to base (RTB) shortly after take-off about 6.20 a.m., with landing set for 7.20 a.m. in the city of Pangkal Pinang. "An RTB was requested and had been approved but we're still trying to figure out the reason," Tjahjono told reporters on Monday. No distress signal was received from the aircraft's emergency transmitter, search and rescue agency head Muhmmad Syaugi told a news conference. The aircraft suffered a technical problem on a flight from the resort island of Bali to Jakarta on Sunday night but it was "resolved according to procedure", Edward Sirait, chief executive of Lion Air Group, told reporters. Sirait declined to specify the nature of the issue but said none of the airline's other aircraft of that model had the same problem. Lion had operated 11 Boeing 737 MAX 8s and it had no plan to ground the rest of them, he said. Indonesia's worst air disaster was in 1997, when a Garuda Indonesia A300 crashed in the city of Medan, killing 234 people.

Indonesia hunts for victims, wreckage of air crash; survivors seem unlikely

The Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-hunts-for-victims-wreckage-of-air-crash-survivors-seen-unlikely-174334">crashed in&nbsp;Indonesia&nbsp;on Monday morning</a> flew erratically during a flight the previous evening when it experienced a "technical problem", according to data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

After taking off from Denpasar on the holiday island of Bali on Sunday evening, the jet reported unusual variations in altitude and airspeed in the first several minutes of flight - including an 875-foot drop over 27 seconds when it would normally be ascending - before stabilising and flying on to Jakarta.

However, the pilots kept the plane at a maximum altitude of 28,000 feet compared with 36,000 feet on the same route earlier in the week.

Lion Air CEO Edward Sirait told reporters on Monday a technical problem had occurred on the Denpasar-Jakarta flight but it had been resolved "according to procedure".

Two of that flight's passengers posted on Instagram, reporting that they had been concerned about problems with the air conditioning system and cabin lighting before the plane departed nearly three hours late.

"I was angry because as a passenger who had paid her ticket, we have every right to question the aircraft's safety," said one of them, TV presenter Conchita Caroline. She added there was a "weird" engine noise upon take-off that continued during flight.

It was not clear if the cabin problems were in any way related to the technical trouble mentioned by the airline's CEO.

The Denpasar-Jakarta flight landed at 10:55 p.m. local time on Sunday, giving engineers six-and-a-half hours at most for checks before it was dispatched for the fatal Jakarta-Pangkal Pinang flight at 6:20 am&nbsp;on Monday.

The plane plunged into the sea minutes after taking off from Jakarta and all 189 people on board are believed dead.

FlightRadar24 also reported unusual air speeds and altitudes in the few minutes that Flight JT610 was in the air on Monday.

Photos of alleged technical and maintenance logs following the Sunday flight have been circulating online, but to date they have not been verified as accurate by the airline or investigators.

Sirait declined to detail the maintenance procedures taken, and on Tuesday he told Reuters the airline had provided the relevant aircraft flight and maintenance logs to&nbsp;Indonesia's National Transporation Safety Committee.

NTSC Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said there was a similarity between the maintenance log circulating online and the one received from Lion Air but he had not checked the exact details.

Safety experts say the crash investigation is at a very preliminary stage and it is too early to speculate about the cause.

But pilot and engineering sources told Reuters the FlightRadar24 data for both flights, while not conclusive, could be a potential indicator of something wrong with the pitot static systems. Those are pressure-sensitive instruments that feed airspeed and altitude information to an avionics computer.

"Certainly the big changes in climb/descent very early on in the flight is what makes me think unreliable speed," said a pilot at another airline, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to media.

NO NOISE

The data from FlightRadar24 shows the first sign that something was amiss on Monday's fated flight came about two minutes after take-off when the plane had reached 2,000 feet.

At that point, it descended more than 500 feet and veered to the left before climbing again to 5,000 feet, where it stayed during most of the rest of the flight.

It began gaining speed in the final moments and reached 345 knots (397 mph) before data was lost when it was at 3,650 feet.

"They were going way faster than you would normally expect," said a second pilot at another airline.

Two fishermen who saw the crash from their boat out at sea told Reuters that the plane swayed slightly but made no noise as it fell, almost horizontal with its nose slightly down. There was an explosive sound as it plunged nose-first into the sea, and then there was a column of smoke.

The weather was clear at the time of the crash at 6:33 a.m. on Monday, according to the head ofIndonesia's transport safety committee, who said the pilots had requested a turnback to Jakarta.

A safe visual landing should have been possible even with faulty indicators and a lack of autopilot systems, the pilot sources said.

In July, a Malaysia Airlines flight took off from Brisbane, Australia without removing covers on the pitot tubes.

The pilots landed the Airbus SE A330 safely after obtaining groundspeed information from air traffic control and using the jet's radar altimeter, according to a preliminary report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. There were no reported injuries.

In 2009, Air France flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after icing that blocked the pitot tubes caused unreliable airspeed data and the confused pilots entered a high-altitude stall and ignored cockpit alarms, according to a report from France's BEA. All 228 people on board died.

The Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet that crashed in Indonesia on Monday morning flew erratically during a flight the previous evening when it experienced a "technical problem", according to data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24.

The Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX jet that crashed in Indonesia on Monday morning flew erratically during a flight the previous evening when it experienced a "technical problem", according to data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24. After taking off from Denpasar on the holiday island of Bali on Sunday evening, the jet reported unusual variations in altitude and airspeed in the first several minutes of flight - including an 875-foot drop over 27 seconds when it would normally be ascending - before stabilising and flying on to Jakarta. However, the pilots kept the plane at a maximum altitude of 28,000 feet compared with 36,000 feet on the same route earlier in the week. Lion Air CEO Edward Sirait told reporters on Monday a technical problem had occurred on the Denpasar-Jakarta flight but it had been resolved "according to procedure". Two of that flight's passengers posted on Instagram, reporting that they had been concerned about problems with the air conditioning system and cabin lighting before the plane departed nearly three hours late. "I was angry because as a passenger who had paid her ticket, we have every right to question the aircraft's safety," said one of them, TV presenter Conchita Caroline. She added there was a "weird" engine noise upon take-off that continued during flight. It was not clear if the cabin problems were in any way related to the technical trouble mentioned by the airline's CEO. The Denpasar-Jakarta flight landed at 10:55 p.m. local time on Sunday, giving engineers six-and-a-half hours at most for checks before it was dispatched for the fatal Jakarta-Pangkal Pinang flight at 6:20 am on Monday. The plane plunged into the sea minutes after taking off from Jakarta and all 189 people on board are believed dead. FlightRadar24 also reported unusual air speeds and altitudes in the few minutes that Flight JT610 was in the air on Monday. Photos of alleged technical and maintenance logs following the Sunday flight have been circulating online, but to date they have not been verified as accurate by the airline or investigators. Sirait declined to detail the maintenance procedures taken, and on Tuesday he told Reuters the airline had provided the relevant aircraft flight and maintenance logs to Indonesia's National Transporation Safety Committee. NTSC Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono said there was a similarity between the maintenance log circulating online and the one received from Lion Air but he had not checked the exact details. Safety experts say the crash investigation is at a very preliminary stage and it is too early to speculate about the cause. But pilot and engineering sources told Reuters the FlightRadar24 data for both flights, while not conclusive, could be a potential indicator of something wrong with the pitot static systems. Those are pressure-sensitive instruments that feed airspeed and altitude information to an avionics computer. "Certainly the big changes in climb/descent very early on in the flight is what makes me think unreliable speed," said a pilot at another airline, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to media. NO NOISE The data from FlightRadar24 shows the first sign that something was amiss on Monday's fated flight came about two minutes after take-off when the plane had reached 2,000 feet. At that point, it descended more than 500 feet and veered to the left before climbing again to 5,000 feet, where it stayed during most of the rest of the flight. It began gaining speed in the final moments and reached 345 knots (397 mph) before data was lost when it was at 3,650 feet. "They were going way faster than you would normally expect," said a second pilot at another airline. Two fishermen who saw the crash from their boat out at sea told Reuters that the plane swayed slightly but made no noise as it fell, almost horizontal with its nose slightly down. There was an explosive sound as it plunged nose-first into the sea, and then there was a column of smoke. The weather was clear at the time of the crash at 6:33 a.m. on Monday, according to the head ofIndonesia's transport safety committee, who said the pilots had requested a turnback to Jakarta. A safe visual landing should have been possible even with faulty indicators and a lack of autopilot systems, the pilot sources said. In July, a Malaysia Airlines flight took off from Brisbane, Australia without removing covers on the pitot tubes. The pilots landed the Airbus SE A330 safely after obtaining groundspeed information from air traffic control and using the jet's radar altimeter, according to a preliminary report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. There were no reported injuries. In 2009, Air France flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after icing that blocked the pitot tubes caused unreliable airspeed data and the confused pilots entered a high-altitude stall and ignored cockpit alarms, according to a report from France's BEA. All 228 people on board died.

Indonesian Lion Air jet flew erratically day before it crashed with 189 on board

On Monday, a&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-lion-air-passenger-plane-goes-missing-official-174088">Lion Air plane</a>&nbsp;with 188 passengers on board crashed into the sea off the island of Sumatra.&nbsp;Lion Air is a low-cost Indonesian airline.&nbsp;

Indonesian airlines have some of the worst safety records in the world, and Monday's crash was the latest in a long line of crashes of planes owned by Indonesian carriers:&nbsp;

In 2007 all Indonesian carriers were placed on the EU Air Safety List, a blacklist of airlines that fall short of the EU's international safety standards - which was lifted earlier this year.

In 2015, Indonesia's aviation industry had more airlines with the lowest safety ranking than any other country in the world according to an annual survey conducted by plane safety rating website AirlineRatings.com.

Indonesia relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but the archipelago has seen a string of high profile aviation accidents in recent years.&nbsp;

The country's unique geography has forced a boom in airlines that serve passengers looking to travel between its 17,000 islands, something that aviation regulators have struggled to keep up with.

A 12-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed eight people in mountainous eastern Indonesia in August.

In August 2015, a commercial passenger aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Trigana crashed in Papua due to bad weather, killing all 54 people on board.&nbsp;

In 2014, an AirAsia plane, which took off from&nbsp;Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore, was just over 40 minutes into its flight when contact was lost. It was later found that it had&nbsp;crashed. All 162 members lost their lives.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lion Air, a low-cost airline, has been involved in a number of incidents.

Last year one of its Boeing jets collided with a Wings Air plane as it landed at Kualanamu airport on the island of Sumatra, although no one was injured.

In May 2016, two Lion Air planes collided at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, while a month earlier a plane operated by Batik Air -- part of the Lion Group -- clipped a TransNusa plane.

In 2013 a Lion Air jet with a rookie pilot at the controls undershot the runway and crashed into the sea in Bali, splitting the plane in two. Several people were injured in the crash, although no one was killed.

Lion Air airlines,&nbsp;was rated seven stars and was upgraded to the top safety tier by global rating agency&nbsp;AirlineRatings.com this year, reports said.&nbsp;Besides Lion Air,&nbsp;Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air were also upgraded to the same tier.

Indonesia's air travel industry is booming, with the number of domestic passengers growing significantly over the past decade, but it has acquired a reputation for poor regulation.

(With inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

On Monday, a Lion Air plane with 188 passengers on board crashed into the sea off the island of Sumatra. Lion Air is a low-cost Indonesian airline. Indonesian airlines have some of the worst safety records in the world, and Monday's crash was the latest in a long line of crashes of planes owned by Indonesian carriers: In 2007 all Indonesian carriers were placed on the EU Air Safety List, a blacklist of airlines that fall short of the EU's international safety standards - which was lifted earlier this year.

On Monday, a Lion Air plane with 188 passengers on board crashed into the sea off the island of Sumatra. Lion Air is a low-cost Indonesian airline. Indonesian airlines have some of the worst safety records in the world, and Monday's crash was the latest in a long line of crashes of planes owned by Indonesian carriers: In 2007 all Indonesian carriers were placed on the EU Air Safety List, a blacklist of airlines that fall short of the EU's international safety standards - which was lifted earlier this year. In 2015, Indonesia's aviation industry had more airlines with the lowest safety ranking than any other country in the world according to an annual survey conducted by plane safety rating website AirlineRatings.com. Indonesia relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but the archipelago has seen a string of high profile aviation accidents in recent years. The country's unique geography has forced a boom in airlines that serve passengers looking to travel between its 17,000 islands, something that aviation regulators have struggled to keep up with. A 12-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed eight people in mountainous eastern Indonesia in August. In August 2015, a commercial passenger aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Trigana crashed in Papua due to bad weather, killing all 54 people on board. In 2014, an AirAsia plane, which took off from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore, was just over 40 minutes into its flight when contact was lost. It was later found that it had crashed. All 162 members lost their lives. Lion Air, a low-cost airline, has been involved in a number of incidents. Last year one of its Boeing jets collided with a Wings Air plane as it landed at Kualanamu airport on the island of Sumatra, although no one was injured. In May 2016, two Lion Air planes collided at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, while a month earlier a plane operated by Batik Air -- part of the Lion Group -- clipped a TransNusa plane. In 2013 a Lion Air jet with a rookie pilot at the controls undershot the runway and crashed into the sea in Bali, splitting the plane in two. Several people were injured in the crash, although no one was killed. Lion Air airlines, was rated seven stars and was upgraded to the top safety tier by global rating agency AirlineRatings.com this year, reports said. Besides Lion Air, Garuda Indonesia and Batik Air were also upgraded to the same tier. Indonesia's air travel industry is booming, with the number of domestic passengers growing significantly over the past decade, but it has acquired a reputation for poor regulation. (With inputs from AFP)

Indonesian airlines have some of the world's worst safety records

All 189 passenger and crew aboard a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-lion-air-plane-with-189-on-board-crashes-into-sea-authorities-search-for-remains-174139">crashed Indonesian jet </a>were “likely” killed in the accident, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said Monday, as it announced it had found human remains.

“My prediction is that nobody survived because the victims that we found, their bodies were no longer intact and it’s been hours so it is likely <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-air-safety-still-remains-questionable-174127">189 people have died</a>,” agency operational director Bambang Suryo Aji told reporters.

"Several parts of human bodies and things have been found on the scene," Yusuf Latief, head of communication for media of the national search and rescue office, said.&nbsp;

Around 30 divers were trying to reach the main wreckage of the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane, according to the agency.&nbsp;

The chief rescuer could not give a specific number of the retrieved bodies.

Lion Air flight JT610, an almost new Boeing 737 MAX 8, was en route to Pangkal Pinang, capital of the Bangka-Belitung tin mining region. Rescue officials said they had recovered some human remains from the crash site, about 15 km (9 miles) off the coast.

Indonesia is one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, but its safety record is patchy. If all aboard have died, the crash will be the country’s second-worst air disaster since 1997, industry experts said.

All 189 passenger and crew aboard a crashed Indonesian jet were “likely” killed in the accident, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said Monday, as it announced it had found human remains.

All 189 passenger and crew aboard a crashed Indonesian jet were “likely” killed in the accident, Indonesia’s search and rescue agency said Monday, as it announced it had found human remains. “My prediction is that nobody survived because the victims that we found, their bodies were no longer intact and it’s been hours so it is likely 189 people have died,” agency operational director Bambang Suryo Aji told reporters. "Several parts of human bodies and things have been found on the scene," Yusuf Latief, head of communication for media of the national search and rescue office, said. Around 30 divers were trying to reach the main wreckage of the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane, according to the agency. The chief rescuer could not give a specific number of the retrieved bodies. Lion Air flight JT610, an almost new Boeing 737 MAX 8, was en route to Pangkal Pinang, capital of the Bangka-Belitung tin mining region. Rescue officials said they had recovered some human remains from the crash site, about 15 km (9 miles) off the coast. Indonesia is one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, but its safety record is patchy. If all aboard have died, the crash will be the country’s second-worst air disaster since 1997, industry experts said.

Lion Air plane crash: Body parts found as rescue agency says ‘likely’ all 189 aboard crashed jet dead

A brand new Indonesian <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesian-lion-air-passenger-plane-goes-missing-official-174088">Lion Air plane carrying 189 passengers and crew crashed</a> into the sea Monday, officials said, moments after it had asked to be allowed to return to Jakarta.

The Boeing-737 MAX, which went into service just months ago, vanished from radar 13 minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital, plunging into the Java Sea.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-air-safety-still-remains-questionable-174127">Indonesian airlines have some of the world's worst safety records</a>

Video footage apparently filmed at the scene of the crash showed a slick of fuel on the surface of the water.

Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted pictures of debris, including what appeared to be an emergency slide and various parts of a smashed mobile phone.

Authorities were still searching for the remains of the plane, which lost contact with air traffic control around 6.30 am (2330 GMT), en route to Pangkal Pinang city, a jumping off point for beach-and-sun seeking tourists on nearby Belitung island.

"The plane crashed into water about 30 to 40 metres deep," Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Yusuf Latif told AFP.

Images filmed at Pangkal Pinang's main airport showed families of passengers crying, talking frantically on their mobiles phone and hugging each other.&nbsp;

Some were heard saying "Ya Allah" or "Oh God".

Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) said there were 178 adult passengers, one child, two infants, two pilots and six cabin crew on board flight JT 610.

The transport ministry had initially said there was a total of 188 people on board.

The finance ministry said around 20 of its employees were on the plane.

It was not immediately clear if any foreigners were on the downed plane, which Lion said was a new, airworthy plane that had only gone into service in August.

The pilot and co-pilot had more than 11,000 hours of flying time between them, it added.

"Lion Air is very concerned about this incident and will work with relevant agencies and all parties," said spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro.

The Flightradar website tracked the plane and showed it looping south on take-off and then heading north before the flight path ended abruptly over the Java Sea, not far from the coast.

Poor safety record 
US-based Boeing said it was "deeply saddened" by news of the crash.

"We express our concern for those on board, and extend heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones," it said in a statement.

"Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation," it added.

Indonesia relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but has a poor aviation safety record and has suffered several fatal crashes in recent years.

A 12-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed eight people in mountainous eastern Indonesia in August.

In August 2015, a commercial passenger aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Trigana crashed in Papua due to bad weather, killing all 54 people on board.&nbsp;

In 2014, an AirAsia plane crashed with the loss of 162 lives.&nbsp;

Indonesian investigators' final report showed a chronically faulty component in a rudder control system, poor maintenance and the pilots' inadequate response were major factors in what was supposed to be a routine flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore.

In June, Lion was among three major Indonesian airlines that had their safety ranking upgraded to seven stars by global rating agency AirlineRatings.com.

Lion, a low-cost airline which has engaged in a huge expansion in recent years, has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash.

Last year one of its Boeing jets collided with a Wings Air plane as it landed at Kualanamu airport on the island of Sumatra, although no one was injured.

In May 2016, two Lion Air planes collided at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, while a month earlier an aircraft operated by Batik Air — part of the Lion Group — clipped a TransNusa plane.

In 2013 a Lion Air jet with a rookie pilot at the controls undershot the runway and crashed into the sea in Bali, splitting the plane in two. Several people were injured in the crash, although no one was killed.

However, in 2004, two dozen people were killed when a Lion Air flight from Jakarta skidded off a rain-slicked runway after landing in the Central Java city of Solo.

Earlier this year, Lion Air announced it as buying some 50 Boeing 737 Max 10 jets for $6.24 billion.

Indonesia's air travel industry is booming, with the number of domestic passengers growing significantly over the past decade, but it has acquired a reputation for poor regulation.

Last year the Indonesian air traffic controllers association revealed that the rate of take-off and landings in Jakarta allowed by state-run air navigation company AirNav was more than the airport could handle, increasing the chance of accidents.

The country's carriers have in the past faced years-long bans from entering European Union and US airspace over their safety records.

A brand new Indonesian Lion Air plane carrying 189 passengers and crew crashed into the sea Monday, officials said, moments after it had asked to be allowed to return to Jakarta.

A brand new Indonesian Lion Air plane carrying 189 passengers and crew crashed into the sea Monday, officials said, moments after it had asked to be allowed to return to Jakarta. The Boeing-737 MAX, which went into service just months ago, vanished from radar 13 minutes after taking off from the Indonesian capital, plunging into the Java Sea. Also read: Indonesian airlines have some of the world's worst safety records Video footage apparently filmed at the scene of the crash showed a slick of fuel on the surface of the water. Disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho tweeted pictures of debris, including what appeared to be an emergency slide and various parts of a smashed mobile phone. Authorities were still searching for the remains of the plane, which lost contact with air traffic control around 6.30 am (2330 GMT), en route to Pangkal Pinang city, a jumping off point for beach-and-sun seeking tourists on nearby Belitung island. "The plane crashed into water about 30 to 40 metres deep," Search and Rescue Agency spokesman Yusuf Latif told AFP. Images filmed at Pangkal Pinang's main airport showed families of passengers crying, talking frantically on their mobiles phone and hugging each other. Some were heard saying "Ya Allah" or "Oh God". Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC) said there were 178 adult passengers, one child, two infants, two pilots and six cabin crew on board flight JT 610. The transport ministry had initially said there was a total of 188 people on board. The finance ministry said around 20 of its employees were on the plane. It was not immediately clear if any foreigners were on the downed plane, which Lion said was a new, airworthy plane that had only gone into service in August. The pilot and co-pilot had more than 11,000 hours of flying time between them, it added. "Lion Air is very concerned about this incident and will work with relevant agencies and all parties," said spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro. The Flightradar website tracked the plane and showed it looping south on take-off and then heading north before the flight path ended abruptly over the Java Sea, not far from the coast. Poor safety record US-based Boeing said it was "deeply saddened" by news of the crash. "We express our concern for those on board, and extend heartfelt sympathies to their families and loved ones," it said in a statement. "Boeing stands ready to provide technical assistance to the accident investigation," it added. Indonesia relies heavily on air transport to connect its thousands of islands but has a poor aviation safety record and has suffered several fatal crashes in recent years. A 12-year-old boy was the sole survivor of a plane crash that killed eight people in mountainous eastern Indonesia in August. In August 2015, a commercial passenger aircraft operated by Indonesian carrier Trigana crashed in Papua due to bad weather, killing all 54 people on board. In 2014, an AirAsia plane crashed with the loss of 162 lives. Indonesian investigators' final report showed a chronically faulty component in a rudder control system, poor maintenance and the pilots' inadequate response were major factors in what was supposed to be a routine flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. In June, Lion was among three major Indonesian airlines that had their safety ranking upgraded to seven stars by global rating agency AirlineRatings.com. Lion, a low-cost airline which has engaged in a huge expansion in recent years, has been involved in a number of incidents including a fatal 2004 crash. Last year one of its Boeing jets collided with a Wings Air plane as it landed at Kualanamu airport on the island of Sumatra, although no one was injured. In May 2016, two Lion Air planes collided at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport, while a month earlier an aircraft operated by Batik Air — part of the Lion Group — clipped a TransNusa plane. In 2013 a Lion Air jet with a rookie pilot at the controls undershot the runway and crashed into the sea in Bali, splitting the plane in two. Several people were injured in the crash, although no one was killed. However, in 2004, two dozen people were killed when a Lion Air flight from Jakarta skidded off a rain-slicked runway after landing in the Central Java city of Solo. Earlier this year, Lion Air announced it as buying some 50 Boeing 737 Max 10 jets for $6.24 billion. Indonesia's air travel industry is booming, with the number of domestic passengers growing significantly over the past decade, but it has acquired a reputation for poor regulation. Last year the Indonesian air traffic controllers association revealed that the rate of take-off and landings in Jakarta allowed by state-run air navigation company AirNav was more than the airport could handle, increasing the chance of accidents. The country's carriers have in the past faced years-long bans from entering European Union and US airspace over their safety records.

Indonesia: Lion Air plane with 189 on board crashes into sea, authorities search for remains

Lion Air plane with 188 on board crashes into Java Sea in Indonesia

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