[Updated at 7:34 a.m. ET] Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan told Metro TV the Sukhoi jet went missing at about 2 p.m. local time in the area of Bogor, West Java.
The jet was on a demonstration flight that should've lasted 30 minutes, taking off and expected to land again in Jakarta's Halim airport. About 46 people were onboard he said.
National Search and Rescue Agency official Gagah Prakosa said on Metro TV that there was an initial search by air that's been suspended because of darkness. A ground search continues.
[Updated at 7:24 a.m. ET] Russia's newest civilian airliner disappeared Wednesday from radar screens during a demonstration flight in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, state-run Ria Novosti news service reported. There were 44 passengers on board.
The pilots requested permission to descend from 10,000 feet to 6,000 feet, air traffic controllers said. After that, all radio contact was lost.
The plane began making its descent but vanished from radar screens at 6,200 feet in a mountainous area.
By the time the plane was due to return it should have burned up its fuel, RIA Novosti said.
The Sukhoi Superjet-100 airplane arrived in Jakarta as part of a demonstration tour of six Asian countries. It had been to Myanmar, Pakistan and Kazakhstan, and was due to visit Laos and Vietnam after Indonesia, RIA Novosti said.
Sukhoi manufactures military aircraft and is known especially for its fighter jets. Its civilian aircraft is narrow-bodied with a dual-class cabin that can transport 100 passengers over regional routes.
Da Plane! Da Plane!
Sounds so fishy,Mmmmmmm....
At least it wasn't shot down over Russian airspace with only one person aboard. (RIP Congressman Larry McDonald)
I also remember that KAL flight shot-down over Russian airspace. Had that flight safely landed, and congressman Larry McDonald had survived the ordeal to actually appear in LA District Court to testify against then gov. Ronald Reagan, there never would have been a president named Ronald.
That's how the US government roles.
@Protoman/Tomcat. I was living in LA when the LA Herald Examiner reported exactly what you say. What happened next? The Herald Examiner also ceased to exist. And only one other news outlet (Hustler Magazine) continued reporting on this tragic murder of a US congressman. Up until that magazines publisher, Larry Flynt, was shot and placed under a federal gag order just like Connie Chung and the FBI's Sibel D. Edmonds.
Freedom my ass.
So it begins!
Lets see how many of you "news" bloggers deny this fact: Congressman Larry McDonald was murdered by Ronald Reagan.
@Mr. Tri. You were living in LA back then? I was living in Texas when I (ahem) just happened to read Larry Flynt's expose'. After researching for many many hours, I finally reached this conclusion: The world's powerful governments, incl. and especially the US and Russia, are all on the same page while keeping us peoples divided. Those hundreds of huge underground facilities built during the "Cold War" by these two mighty governments were built in tandem, in other words. At least they didn't enslave Jews to dig them this time
Anyone who thinks any government has there best interests in mind is a fool.
If it was anywhere near the Bermuda Triangle, it wouldn't be such a big deal.
We have to go back!!
You're talking to yourself, again. God, take a vacation from it!
Ya know what the problem is .The loan company that lent them money hasn't got paid,so ya know what,they repoed it,that's why it didn't return.It's on some used repo lot somewhere with a sale sign on the windshield.Going cheap I heard!!!LMAO!!!!
Langoliers?
It had to be said.
Did they inspect for Arabs wearing underwear?
Our deepest condolences to the families of those who died. RIP.