JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Sixty-two people are presumed dead after a passenger plane went missing off Indonesia's coast shortly after takeoff from Jakarta on Saturday, Jan. 9.
Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 departed from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport at 2:36 p.m. local time, nearly an hour after its scheduled departure time of 1:40 p.m.
Four minutes later, at 2:40 p.m., the Boeing 737-500 disappeared from radar, BBC News reports, citing Indonesia's transportation ministry.
Fishermen in the area told the Associated Press they heard an explosion, followed by a large splash in the water.
According to flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, the plane fell more than 3,000 meters, or 10,000 feet, in less than a minute.
According to reports there were 50 passengers on board — including seven children and three babies — along with six working crew and six other crew. All were Indonesian.