Indonesian official says Adam Air aircraft did not issue distress signal
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A new statement from Iksan Tatang, the director general of air transportation in Indonesia, appears to contradict earlier reports stating that the pilot of the missing Adam Air aircraft had sent distress calls before the aircraft disappeared.
The official reportedly said that the aircraft did not issue distress signals or report mechanical problems and although the crew reported winds as high as 74 knots before losing contact with the ground on 1 January, there were no complaints regarding navigation, the condition of the aircraft itself or other technical problems.
However two signals from the aircraft’s emergency beacon, a device that is activated on impact, were picked up by another aircraft nearby as well as by a satellite.
The aircraft was halfway through a flight from Java to Manado on Sulawesi Island when it disappeared.
Officials previously indicated that the pilot had sent out two distress signals, according to The Associated Press.