Heartbreaking final words from mother aboard lost flight
A chilling message from a mother travelling with her children on Saturday’s deadly Indonesian flight SJ182 has been revealed by authorities.
Rathi Windania posted pictures of two laughing children before boarding the Boeing 737 that crashed into the sea which carried 62 passengers and crew members just minutes into the flight.
“Bye bye family. We’re heading home for now,” she wrote with two emojis blowing kisses.
Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 flew from the Indonesian capital on Saturday bound for Pontianak, on the Indonesian side of Borneo, when it lost contact at 2.40 pm local time.
Ms Windania’s brother Irfansyah Riyanto posted a picture of his sister and her children with the words: “Pray for us.”
He had rushed to Soekarno Hatta Airport on Saturday night in an attempt for more information about the flight that carried his sister and other family members, including his parents.
The aircraft carried 62 passengers and crew members.
It “disappeared” from radar screens minutes into the flight.
Bodies and pieces of wreckage were found on Sunday floating in the Java Sea, Indonesian authorities said.
Irfansyah, Ms Windania’s distraught brother, told reporters: “We feel powerless. We can only wait and hope to have any information soon.”
He revealed his family had planned to take an earlier flight, but charged plans for reasons unknown to him.
The flight path of the plane.
“I was the one who drove them to the airport, helped with the check-ins and the luggage … I feel like I still can’t believe this and it happened too fast,” he said.
The aircraft dropped 3000m in a little less than just 60 seconds.
Locals report hearing two explosions before they went and found debris floating in the sea.
The Indonesian navy has sent 11 vessels to hunt for the plane’s wreckage underwater.
The brother of the co-pilot Diego Mamahit revealed he had been asked for blood samples at the police hospital.
Authorities are asking for dental records and other information in order to find the victims of the deadly flight.
“I believe my younger brother survived, these are just for the police procedure,” Chris Mamahit said.
“Diego is a good man, we still believe Diego survived.”
Diego’s LinkedIn profile had a bittersweet description of his role flying the Boeing 737 planes, with the words, “I really love to fly.”