Adam Air families vent frustration at VP

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar. Image: Snorre - VIE Planespotters

Vice President Jusuf Kalla, in his capacity as head of the National Disaster Management Coordinating Board, met with families of the missing Adam Air passengers Saturday at the Hasanuddin Air Force base in Makassar, promising the government would step up the search for the plane.

The families used the meeting to demand that the government be more serious in its search for the missing airplane and expressed their disappointment over the earlier release of incorrect information.

"We want the government to commit to continuing the search until the missing Adam Air plane and its passengers are found," said Umar Maslomad, brother of Halid Maslomad who was flying with his father-in-law Ibrahim Lamali.

"If necessary, the government should request help from countries with more advanced technology to assist in the search. We also hope if the plane is found, all of the passengers' remains will be returned home to their families for burial," he added.

"We have been here for five days with the only clothes that we are wearing," Yunus, whose cousin was on the plane, told Kalla, Reuters reported.

"If you ask us to pray we have done it since day one."

Another relative was quoted as saying, "Ever since I've been here I haven't seen an atmosphere that a disaster has happened. I was tossed here and there. They didn't ask my name."

"Even at the information center there is no information, there is no TV and there are no health posts," Aryodimo said.

Kalla said the rescuers would continue the search by land, air and sea with the help of teams from Singapore and the U.S.

"We understand the grief experienced by the families of the missing passengers. We all share this grief," Kalla said.

Responding to the demands, Kalla said the President had ordered the search be continued for as long as it took to find the missing plane, and that the government would cover all operational costs for the search while Adam Air would cover costs for victims.

Kalla was accompanied among others by Transportation Minister Hatta Radjasa and Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie.

The Vice President also met the search and rescue team being coordinated by Hasanuddin Air Force commander Commodore Eddy Suyanto.

As of Sunday, the team will be working in Makassar and Mamuju in West Sulawesi and Tana Toraja in South Sulawesi.

Six more helicopters will be deployed to assist the search. Currently, at least nine planes, including a Fokker 50 from the Singapore air force, four Navy ships, nearly 3,000 police and military personnel, and residents are assisting in the search.

Eddy said three or four aircraft would be placed on standby at the three areas starting Sunday.

Meanwhile, the six-member team from the U.S. arrived in Makassar on Saturday to lend their expertise in unraveling the fate of the Adam Air flight.

Satellite assistance from the U.S. military is expected to arrive in Makassar on Sunday.

"Hopefully, with a much more intensive search, helped by the Singaporean and the U.S. team, we can find the plane in one or two days," Kalla said.

Meanwhile, aviation commentator and U.S.-based airline pilot Patrick Smith told AP that "whatever happened to the plane, it was likely rapid and catastrophic".

He added that in many accidents "there are no distress calls simply because the cockpit crew is too busy dealing with the situation rather than calling around for help".