A number of relatives of passengers onboard the missing Adam Air aircraft on Monday were busy seeking information on the whereabouts of the ill-fated plane which lost contact with air control in Makassar on its way to Manado, North Sulewesi, from Surabaya, East Java.

 

Reports from Manado said a number of people rushed to Sam Ratulangi Airport on Monday evening to inquire about the aircraft' s whereabouts at the Adam Air ticket sales counter.

 

The aircraft carrying 96 passengers and a six-member crew left Surabaya at about 12: 59 local time and was scheduled to arrive in Manado, North Sulawesi, at 16:14 local time. But until 21:00 local time, the aircraft had not reached its destination.

 

"At about 16:14 local time, Adam Air announced that the flight' s arrival was delayed," said Yustin Situmorang, a relative of one of the passengers, who seemed to be in panic after hearing the plane was reported missing.

 

Yustin said his twin brother who was returning to Manado after spending holidays in another city was on the plane with eight other relatives.

 

None of the people related to passengers on the missing plane knew what had happened with the aircraft.

 

A Sam Ratulangi airport official told reporters that it was believed the plane could have made an emergency landing on the sea after losing contact with the air control center in Makassar.

 

North Sulawesi Police Chief Brig Gen Jacobus J Uli said the whereabouts of the missing aircraft was still unknown and therefore police were trying to collect information on the aircraft's fate.

 

The provincial police also were ready to provide whatever assistance it could give to calm down the families or relatives of the ill-fated aircraft's passengers, Jacobus said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2007)