Conflicting Official Reports Further Distress Already Worried Families

What happened to an Adam Air 737-400 jetliner with 102 people on board that went missing on Monday remains a mystery... while conflicting statements from Indonesian government officials reported in the media add to the distress of those hoping to hear word of survivors.

The latest official flip-flop from Indonesia's aviation officials now says the crew did not issue a distress signal prior to the jet's disappearance -- once again, directly contradicting previous reports.

Listed on the jet's passenger manifest are three Americans: 54-year-old Scott Jackson and his two daughters, 21-year-old Stephanie and 18-year-old Lindsey.

Their mother, Felice Jackson DuBois is one of the unfortunate riding the emotional roller coaster, as earlier this week she heard reports of survivors only to find those reports had been false. She told the Associated Press, "Search efforts have expanded, they're more sophisticated ... but they haven't discovered anything as far as they've told me. It's still a zero at this point."

Indonesia's director general of air transportation Iksan Tatang said today none of the reports from the jet's crew were out of the ordinary prior to its disappearance. Aside from the length of time its been missing, the only indication the aircraft may have had any problems at all is a signal from an emergency beacon -- assumed to be from the missing aircraft -- picked up in the region.

"The plane did not report any complaints about the navigation, the condition of the plane or other technical problems," Tatang said, adding that two signals from its emergency beacon -- which is activated on impact -- were picked up by a plane in the vicinity and a satellite.

The fact the beacon was picked up by two different receivers may have led to confusion, and the early reports the crew issued two distress signals prior to going missing.

At least one person in the government seems to recognize the emotional trauma the continuing conflicting reports causes for waiting loved ones. Hatta Radjasa, the country's transportation minister spoke with reporters today urging "...people not to speculate. We must wait until the National Commission for Transportation Safety has located the ill-fated plane."

Aviation journalist Nicholas Ionides told the Associated Press, "Indonesia is a place full of miscommunication, contradictory information and confusion during an accident like this. There is gossip and rumor and you never know what the facts are."

And relatives and friends of passengers aboard the lost airliner continue to wait. Some have camped out at the Adam Air ticket counter at the Manado airport. The Associated Press says more than 150 gathered at a crisis center outside the airport impatiently demanding more information.

"It's been three days, we just want to know what happened," said Selvi Kawengian, 43, whose younger brother was on the plane with his wife and 18-month-old son.

FMI: www.adamair.co.id