Fisherman helps to narrow search for AirAsia flight QZ8501
PUBLISHED ONDecember 31, 2014 12:51 PM
A 44-year-old fisherman's testimony has been crucial in pinpointing the area where downed AirAsia flight QZ8501 went missing on Dec 28.
Identified as Rahmat, the man told Indonesian media on Wednesday that he suspected there was a plane crash after hearing a loud booming noise around 7am on Sunday, said The Straits Times.
Suspecting that the sound might have come from a plane crash, he told his fellow fishermen friends about his, but they dismissed his speculation, said The Straits Times.
Soon after the noise was heard, Rahmat said a haze appeared, which was unusual as it normally happened during the dry season. He shared this piece of information with the media at the Panglima Utar Port in Central Kalimantan on Wednesday.
On that fateful Sunday, his friends had saw a plane flying from above Senggaro Island and heading towards the sea. They noted that the plane was flying relatively low before it disappeared from their view.
Rahmat, a father of three carried on with fishing but did not catch anything in the choppy water with waves as high as two metres, said The Straits Times.
Upon returning home the next day, he saw the news of the missing plane, and reported what he experienced that Sunday morning to the village head.
According to Detik news site, his testimony gave clues to the search and rescue team which combed an area labelled as Sector V. This is where they subsequently found pieces of wreckage from the ill-fated AirAsia flight QZ8501.
wjeanne@sph.com.sg
