South African describes feeling in Asia as reports that missing plane may be at Sea Bottom

As an Indonesian official reports that the missing AirAsia plane may be at the bottom of the sea, a South African publicist and PR on holiday in Asia has described the ‘uncomfortable’ feeling at airports in Asia right now as he heads to Singapore, the same destination that Flight QZ8501 was en route to yesterday when it vanished from radar screens.

Early this morning in Cambodia, Georg Knoke wrote on Facebook: “Strange posting, but it’s now 7:24 in the morning here in Sihanouk Ville in Cambodia – and the Air Asia plane is missing now for exactly 24 hours! Uncomfortable feeling at airports here. Weather here very good, no storms. Flying from Sihanouk Ville this afternoon and to Singapore tomorrow morning.”

The missing AirAsia plane vanished en route from Indonesia to Singapore yesterday after requesting permission to avoid a violent storm by flying above certain clouds. The plane then disappeared without sending a distress signal. It’s currently monsoon season in Singapore and Indonesia.

Four hours after sending his first message, Georg said “Twitter has crashed here in the East, and everyone seems to be hungry for news about the missing Air Asia plane, the third disaster this year for Air Malaysia! Tense time in airspace!”

The first tragedy involving a Malaysian aeroplane this year occurred in March when a Malaysia Airlines plane disappeared en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. It has still not been found. In July, a second disaster happened when a Malaysia Airlines plane was allegedly shot down over the Ukraine. Two South Africans perished in that disaster.

Two hours ago Georg sent another message from Sihanouk Ville airport – “Eery feeling at the airport here in Sihanouk Ville, Cambodia! Literally 36 hours ago 162 people boarded Air Asia’s flight like any normal other flight…”

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency chief has since announced that the missing jetliner may have fallen to the bottom of the sea.

“We assume the missing jet is at the bottom of the sea based on the coordinates given to us and evaluation that the estimated crash position is in the sea,” Bambang Soelistyo told media at the Soekarno-Hatta main airport.

It can be expanded based on evaluation, he said.

Should the projection be true, Indonesia needs to cooperate with other countries to bring the wreckage to the surface, Soelistyo said.

“We still do not have the equipment, we will borrow the devices from other countries,” he said. The UK, US and France – who have more sophisticated technology- are due to send assistance; and Singapore, Malaysia and Australia have also dispatched planes and ships to help comb the area.

The official warned that the current in the Java sea may cause the wreckage of the plane to move.

In the meantime, Georg says “Guess incidents and accidents like these grab international headline attention, whilst every other traffic accident goes unnoticed! Bon courage and bon voyage! Looking forward to visiting my friends in Singapore!”