SAR Agency Says A320 Is Probably 'At The Bottom Of The Sea'

The AirAsia A320 which disappeared from radar on a flight to Singapore early Sunday has likely gone down in the ocean, according to the head of Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency.

National Search and Rescue Agency Republic of Indonesia (BASARNAS) official Bambang Soelistyo said the theory is based on the last known coordinates of the airplane, according to the BBC. He said that the search area will be widened Tuesday, and that the U.S. has been asked for help in locating the airplane, which disappeared with 162 people on board.

The United States is reportedly considering that request.

A BBC correspondent who was aboard one of the search airplanes reported than an oil slick was seen in the water.

The flight had departed from the Indonesian city of Surabaya at around 0530 local time Sunday. The pilots of the airplane had requested a course change to deviate around weather. There was no distress call prior to the aircraft vanishing from radar between Borneo and Sumatra about 40 minutes after departure, according to the report.

(Image from file. Not missing airplane)

FMI: http://qz8501.airasia.com/index.html