Iran Press/ Asia: The Boeing 737-800 passenger plane carrying 189 people departed Jakarta on Monday for Pangkal Pinang on an island chain off Sumatra, but shortly lost contact and crashed into the sea off Jakarta, ABC News reported.
Lion Air spokesman Danang Mandala Prihantoro confirmed that one of the Airline's flights has lost contact.
Yusuf Latif, a spokesman for the country’s search and rescue agency also said on Monday, “It has been confirmed that it has crashed".
A search and rescue effort has been launched for the plane, which departed Jakarta about 6.20am on Monday. It was scheduled to land at Pangkal Pinang at 7.20 am.
Indonesian TV showed dozens of people waiting anxiously outside the Pangkal Pinang airport and officials bringing out plastic chairs.
Families of passengers waiting outside the Pangkal Pinang airport
Lion Air is one of Indonesia's youngest and biggest airlines, flying to dozens of domestic and international destinations.
In 2013, one of its Boeing 737-800 jets missed the runway while landing on the resort island of Bali, crashing into the sea without causing any fatalities among the 108 people on board.
101/207
Read More:
Indonesian earthquake death toll rises to over 1,200
Quake, tsunami kill hundreds of people in Indonesia
