JAKARTA Indonesia asked for international assistance yesterday in finding a missing airliner as forecasts of heavy storms further threatened rescue efforts already hampered by poor communications and dense jungle terrain.

The Boeing 737, operated by the domestic carrier Adam Air, disappeared in stormy weather on Monday while flying at 35,000ft between the main island of Java and Monado, the regional capital of Sulawesi.

Distress signals picked up during the final moments of the flight led emergency workers to a triangle covering hundreds of miles on the western coast of the island but they have not found a single clue.

Eddy Suyanto, the air force official who is co-ordinating the search, said: “Until now, we have not yet found any signal or indication of where the
ill-fated plane crashed.” Finding the aircraft has been hindered by poor
co-ordination between local and national officials, bad weather and densely vegetated, remote island terrain.

“Indonesia is a place full of miscommunication, contradictory information and confusion during an accident like this,” Nicholas Ionides, managing editor in Asia for Flight International magazine, said.

Rescuers wasted the first day climbing mountain trails only to be told after ten hours that reports of burning wreckage and survivors were rumours. A second unsuccessful day of missions ended at nightfall yesterday. Wind and rain forced surveillance aircraft back to base, and a severe storm was due to reach the island today.

Thousands of army soldiers, Marines and police were combing the area, and Singapore and the United States have been asked to assist the search. (AP)

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