Missing plane sent out distress signal

Rescue teams were dispatched after a commercial Adam Air passenger plane with more than 100 people on board sent out a distress signal while flying in bad weather in Indonesia, the transport minister said today.

Hatta Radjasa said a distress signal had been picked up over central Sulawesi and emergency crews were on their way to search for survivors.

“Let’s hope the plane had an emergency landing,” he told El-Shinta radio.

Air traffic controllers lost contact with flight KI-574 while it was flying between Indonesia’s Java and Sulawesi islands. It was still missing for more than six hours after the scheduled arrival time.