Indonesian Ship Detects Metal Fragments On Ocean Floor

In what could be the first break in the weeklong search for a missing Indonesian airliner, a naval vessel detected metal on the ocean floor Monday that could be the wreckage of the Adam Air 737. The US Navy vessel USNS Mary Sears is expected to arrive on station Tuesday to more thoroughly map the area.

Gatot Sudijanto, a commodore in the Indonesian navy, told the Associated Press metal was detected in three separate areas within a radius of several miles off the western coast of Sulawesi Island.

As Aero-News reported, the Adam Air flight from Java to the North Sulawesi provincial capital of Manado experienced strong winds in an area near severe convective activity, forcing the plane to alter its course at least twice. There are conflicting reports whether pilots issued a mayday call before it disappeared.

Over 3,600 soldiers, police, and volunteers are searching a nearly 30,000-square-mile area around Sulawesi Island for any sign of the missing plane.

Adam Air is one of the many budget airlines that entered the marketing following deregulation of Indonesia's airline industry in 1998. The relative newness of several carriers, combined with a spotty air communications network, have raised safety concerns.

FMI: www.flyadamair.com/