Lion Air flight crashes in Indonesia; no signs of survivors

After taking off from Jakarta, Indonesia at 06:20 on Monday (23:30 GMT on Sunday), Flight JT 610, operated by Lion Air and heading to Depati Amir airport in Pangkal Pinang, lost contact just 13 minutes after taking off, and crashed into the sea.

Search and rescue operations are currently ongoing, but The BBC reports that as it stands, there are no signs of survivors. There were 189 people on board, including the six crew and two pilots.

What happened?

Lion Air is a popular low-cost carrier in Indonesia. Flight JT 610 was operated by a Boeing 737 Max, and according to The BBC, officials claim that the pilot had asked that the plane be turned back to Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta airport.

The aircraft used for this flight was brand new, made in 2018, and specifically intended for short-haul use. 

According to The BBC, Lion Air chief executive Edward Sirait said the plane had an unspecified "technical issue" on a previous flight, but he said that this had been "resolved".

On its website, Lion Air has issued a statement that states:

"Currently 90 people from the families of passengers have arrived in Jakarta from various regions where accommodation facilities (lodging) and information centres are prepared at the Ibis hotel in Cawang area, East Jakarta, to facilitate mobility to the Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport post. This evening, 76 passengers will also be planned for the family."