Contact lost with Russian-made plane in Indonesia

[May 09, 2012]  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Air controllers lost contact Wednesday with a Russian-made plane carrying 46 people in western Indonesia, an official said.

National search agency spokesman Gagah Prakoso said the Sukhoi Superjet-100 was on a demonstration flight when it lost contact with authorities near Salak mountain in West Java province. He said a rescue team has been dispatched to area. The aircraft took off from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusuma Airport at 2 p.m. (0700 GMT) and was scheduled to return 50 minutes later. The civilian plane, developed by the Russian aerospace company Sukhoi in co-operation with Western partners, made its maiden flight in 2008 and is now being demonstrated in the region. Russia has hoped that the short- to mid-range jet, the first completely new airliner designed by Russia since the Soviet collapse, will help it break into international markets dominated by Boeing and Airbus. [Associated Press] Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.