Good evening. Tonight people the world over are asking the same question, how is it possible that a jumbo jet has disappeared without a trace . Tonight the search has expanded over a large area for a large aircraft, a boeing 777, among the safest ever made, this one with 239 souls on board. There were false alarms over the weekend, a fuel slick on the water, what looked like an aircraft door, but they did not pan out. And now because they have to chase down even the wildest possible theories, the search continues on sea and on land in case this aircraft went on flying even though it left no electronic trail behind. Tonight the search is being conducted by 10 nations, 34 planes. 48 vessels have been deployed in this. We begin our coverage tonight among our correspondents and experts domestically and overseas with nbcs tom costello. Tom, good evening. Reporter hi, brian. The mere fact that they have not found any trace of this plane is raising the possibility that they have been looking
So the plane continued flying. Those f15s following it all the way to cuban airspace. They broke off as the plane entered cuban airspace. The plane flew right over cuba. U. S. Authorities in contact with cuban authorities to let them know that they believed this was a medical emergency and there was no ill intent. The plane traversed cuba, came out the south side of cuba and headed right for jamaica, again, maintaining that Straight Line at 25,000 feet. Then it lost altitude rather rapidly, descending and crashing into the ocean about 14 miles or so north of jamaica. So this occurred, according to jamaican authorities, within the last 30 minutes or so. We now have sound were going to play for you. This is sound of the air Traffic Control rather of the Radio Communications between the air force pilots as they achieved altitude to try to check on the condition of the pilot. Lets listen. Im working an oxygen system problem on the plane. Are they breathing . I can see his chest rising and
Unconscious passengers who were on board. Is he breathing . I can see his chest rising and falling, right before i left, it was first time we could see he was actually breathing. It may be a deal where depending on how fast they descend he may regain consciousness once the aircraft starts descending for fuel. Its believed the two passengers lost consciousness potentially due to deappreciate yourization and condition known as high poxia, his son ken confirms to cnbc, that mr. Glazer and his wife jane were the only passengers on board. Joining me on the phone is retired nbc news correspondent and aviation specialist, bob hager. The first thing that came to mind when i heard this was Payne Stewart, the golfer who died in a similar situation where the plane actually lost pressurization and was escorted to a field out in the plain states in the u. S. Is that what happened here, that theres a depressurization in the cabin and the plane eventually crashes. It looks like that is what happened
This is nbc nightly news with brian williams. Good evening. Im lester holt sitting in tonight for brian. Theres such deep anguish for families of those aboard airasia flight 8501. Debris and even bodies of some of the victims themselves retrieved from the java sea today left little doubt about the fate of the plane and the 162 people on board. A blue suitcase, an oxygen tank, what appears to be an undeployed emergency slide are some of the items officials have now confirmed came from the jet. The debris from the airbus was discovered off the west coast of borneo, roughly in line with the planes flight path from surabaya to singapore. With help of the United States standing by to help find and recover the jets flight recorders, early indications suggest the flight met a sudden end as the crew tried to negotiate around violent thunderstorm cells in their path. Once again tonight were covering several angles of this story. Lets start with katy tur in singapore with the latest on the searc
Is nbc nightly news with brian williams. Good evening. Im lester holt sitting in for brian. The man heading the search for airasia flight 8501 today said what many of us have been thinking, that the plane is likely at the bottom of the sea. Its been roughly 48 hours since the airbus jet with 162 people onboard vanished from radar about halfway along its twohour flight from surabaya, indonesia, to singapore. The pilots were trying to avoid thunderstorms around the time contact was lost. Indonesian authorities admit they dont have a capability to conduct an extensive undersea search and have asked the United States for help. A pentagon Spokesman Says details of assistance are being worked out. Were covering several angles of this story. We begin in singapore with nbcs katy tur. Katy, whats the latest on the search . Reporter hi there, lester. It is morning here in singapore. The start of day three with still no sign of this plane. The search has resumed for the morning, but there are con