Chaos erupts as relatives of the Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 watched footage on a local TV station which showed a floating body and debris

Nation

Published: Wednesday December 31, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Wednesday December 31, 2014 MYT 11:32:09 AM

Chaos erupts at airport over TV station footage

 

SURABAYA: Chaos erupted at Juanda International Airport’s crisis centre here as relatives of the doomed Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 watched footage on a local TV station which showed a floating body and debris sighted by the Indonesian Search and Rescue team (SAR) in Pangkalan Bun, central Kalimantan.

Wailing, screaming and non-stop crying ensued from the distraught and hysterical next-of-kin.

One man covered his face and had to be held up by two other men before he fainted and was taken out by stretcher.

Another woman was screaming and crying as she was supported by the mayor of Surabaya.

“My heart will be totally crushed if it’s true. I will lose a son,” said 60-year-old Dwijanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

An AirAsia officer screamed at a local TV news station for airing the uncensored footage of an unidentified body floating in the water during the live feed.

The crisis centre, which was set up for the relatives, had been calm earlier yesterday amid initial reports that debris resembling an emergency slide, a plane door and a life jacket had been seen. Some even hoped that the debris was not related to the missing plane.

A man believed to be the father of one of the flight attendants, Khairunnisa Haidar Fauzi, 22, from Palembang, said he was willing to accept the fate that had befallen his daughter.

“If it’s true, I am willing to accept the fate. I recited the Yasin last night and I will accept this with open heart,” he said.

Khairunisa was reported to be flying to Singapore for a holiday when the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers 42 minutes after it left Juanda International Airport here on Sunday.

In Malaysia, families of those on MH370 flight that went missing without a trace on March 8 hoped those lost in the latest tragedy could at least have a proper burial.

“The families can now have closure and peace of mind, something I am dying for,” said Selamat Omar, whose 29-year-old son was on the Malaysia Airlines plane.

QZ8501 was flying in Indonesian airspace when it went missing. A total of 162 passengers, including one Malaysian and seven crew members, were on board.