AirAsia launches search operation for missing plane.

On the morning of December 28, Malaysian airline AirAsia announced that it was launching a search operation for flight QZ8501, which went missing en route from Indonesia to Singapore.

"We regret that we currently have no further information regarding the condition of the passengers and crew on board, but we will notify all relevant parties as soon as we have more information," the airline stated.

According to AirAsia, the missing aircraft was an Airbus A320-200.

The plane, carrying 161 people, lost contact with air traffic control on the morning of December 28.

"The AirAsia flight from Surabaya to Singapore lost contact with Jakarta at 7:55 a.m. (local time)," transport ministry spokesman JA Barata told AFP.

The Airbus aircraft departed Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, East Java, at 5:20 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Singapore at 8:30 a.m. (0030 GMT).

The plane had six crew members and 155 passengers on board – including 138 adults, 16 children, and one infant.

According to Vietnam+