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Russian jet missing

May 9, 2012

An airplane from Russian manufacturer Sukhoi has gone missing on a demonstration flight in Indonesia with 46 people on board.

https://p.dw.com/p/14sEz
An archive picture of the Sukhoi Superjet 100
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

A Russian jet carrying 46 people has gone missing during a demonstration flight in Indonesia, according to the country's civil aviation chief.

Herry Bakti said the Sukhoi Superjet 100, pictured above, was carrying local airline representatives from the Transport Ministry.

"We're still looking for it," he said. "We don't know what happened."

The plane was scheduled to take a 50-minute flight and then land again at Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport. Russia had hoped that the plane, which was manufactured by Sukhoi along with Western partners and debuted in 2008, would help it break into the international aviation markets.

After descending to 6,000 feet (1,829 meters), air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane, which was flying near Salak mountain in West Java province.

A rescue team has been sent to the scene.

mz/ng (Reuters, AFP, AP)