PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia — The search operation for AirAsia Flight 8501 will spread slightly eastward on Tuesday as the weather and currents drag wreckage in that direction, the head of Indonesia’s rescue agency said.

Bad weather has made it difficult to locate parts of the plane and recover the 125 bodies that are still missing, said National Search and Rescue Agency’s director of operation Suryadi B. Supriyadi.

There were 162 passengers and crew on the Airbus 320 when it crashed Dec. 28. So far, 37 bodies have been recovered.

“Time is of the essence … but it seems like it is hard to beat the weather,” Supriyadi said, adding that divers trying to reach the wreckage Monday were forced to return to their ships by strong current as rough seas continued to impede dive and search teams.

The debris found so far indicates the body of the plane broke into parts, he said. On Monday, Indonesia’s transportation ministry announced harsh measures against everyone who allowed AirAsia Flight 8501 to take off without proper permits – including the suspension of the airport’s operator and officials in the control tower.

Routing permits for all airlines flying in the country will be examined to see if they violate the rules, said Djoko Murjatmodjo, acting director general of air transportation.

Advertisement

“Who knows if other airlines are also doing the same thing,” he said.

The plane was traveling between Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, and Singapore on a Sunday. Officials have since said its permit for the popular route was only for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and that AirAsia quietly switched three of those days. Officials in Singapore, however, have said the plane was authorized to fly on Sundays from its end.

Applications for specific routes take into account issues including air traffic rights and airport takeoff and landing slots.

While the airline is being investigated, Indonesia has banned all AirAsia flights between Surabaya and Singapore.

AirAsia Indonesia President Director Sunu Widyatmoko said by text Monday that the airline will cooperate with the government during the evaluation, but would not comment on the permit allegations until the process is complete.

Violations of the regulations would boost legal arguments for passengers’ family members seeking compensation, said Alvin Lie, a former lawmaker and aviation analyst. But he added AirAsia would not be the only one to blame.

“The Surabaya-Singapore flights have been operating since October … and the government didn’t know,” he said. “Where was the government’s supervision?”

Murjatmodjo said individuals who allowed to plane to fly without permits would be suspended while the investigation is pending.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.