Air Asia aircraft model 9M-AQB is seen on track at Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) airport at Sepang outside Kuala Lumpur November 19, 2013. Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd will take up to two years to realise a profit from its Indonesia and Philippine units, inc
IN PHOTO: Air Asia aircraft model 9M-AQB is seen on track at Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) airport at Sepang outside Kuala Lumpur November 19, 2013. Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd will take up to two years to realise a profit from its Indonesia and Philippine units, income that would help prop up eroding margins as Asia's largest budget carrier wages a price war at home. AirAsia, which has dominated budget air travel in Asia with explosive growth, is now struggling to boost earnings in its biggest market, Malaysia, where rivals such as national carrier Malaysian Airline System (MAS) and Malindo Airways are slashing fares. Reuters/Samsul Said
Air Asia aircraft model 9M-AQB is seen on track at Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) airport at Sepang outside Kuala Lumpur November 19, 2013. Malaysia's AirAsia Bhd will take up to two years to realise a profit from its Indonesia and Philippine units, income that would help prop up eroding margins as Asia's largest budget carrier wages a price war at home. AirAsia, which has dominated budget air travel in Asia with explosive growth, is now struggling to boost earnings in its biggest market, Malaysia, where rivals such as national carrier Malaysian Airline System (MAS) and Malindo Airways are slashing fares. REUTERS/Samsul Said (MALAYSIA - Tags: BUSINESS TRANSPORT)

Another air tragedy similar to the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight looms over the global aviation industry after an AirAsia plane with 162 people on board went missing on Sunday. The aircraft left a provincial Indonesia city for Singapore and flew over the Java Sea.

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Reports said that Flight QZ8501 has been missing for over seven hours with no signs of the jet after the crew lost contact with ground control.

The Airbus A320-200 followed its original flight plan route but requested to change course due to bad weather. But communication was lost while the plane was still under the control of the Indonesian Air Traffic Control.

The last communication was at 6:13 a.m. The pilot then requested to turn left and go higher to 34,000 feet to avoid clouds, according to Djoko Murjatmodjo, acting director general of transportation of Indonesia.

However, to calm the relatives of the jet's passenger and crew, he said, "We don't dare to presume what has happened except that it has lost contact."

This is the first possible incident involving AirAsia, known for its good safety record and having never lost a jet. It was established in 2001 by Tony Fernandes, a Malaysian businessman.

The 166 is made up of two pilots, five cabin crew and 155 passengers, of which 16 are children and one infant. Six of the passengers are foreigners, three are South Koreans, and one Singaporean, one Malaysian and one French. All the other passengers are Indonesians, AirAsia said.

According to Hadi Mustofa, an official of the air transport ministry, contact was lost 42 minutes after the plane, a single-aisle, twin-engine plane left Surabaya Airport. It was scheduled to arrive in Singapore at 8:30 am.

Three jets have been deployed to search for the missing AirAsia plane, in addition to a plane from the Singapore Air Force and Navy are searching for the missing jet.

Worried relatives of passengers are waiting for news at the Surabaya Airport.

In a statement, AirAsia said, "At the present time we unfortunately have no further information regarding the status of the passengers and crew members on board, but we will keep all parties informed as more information becomes available."