The Indonesian government confirmed that a Lion Air passenger aircraft crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta on Monday morning.
Lion Air flight JT610, believed to have 188 people on board, was flying from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang, off Sumatra. The fate of the passengers and crew remains unclear.
Air traffic controllers lost contact with the Lion Air flight approximately 13 minutes after take-off.
The ill-fated aircraft was believed to be a Boeing 737 MAX jet and the disaster is thought to be the first one involving the modern jet. The 737 MAX was introduced globally in 2017 and this particular aircraft was reportedly delivered to Lion Air in August.
Lion Air officials confirmed the crash and said the airline would hold a press conference later on Monday.
(With agency inputs)
