#QZ8501 7.50pm: AirAsia Indonesia confirms that its ill-fated Flight QZ8501 has been found in the Karimata Straits, around 110 nautical miles south west from Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan.
"AirAsia Indonesia regrets to inform that the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Republic of Indonesia confirmed that the debris found earlier today is indeed from QZ8501," it says in a statement.
The airliner says its officials have been deployed to the site and will be cooperating with authorities on the investigation.
In light of the new development, AirAsia Indonesia says it will also be flying family members to Surabaya and a dedicated team of care-givers will be assigned to each family.
AirAsia group chief executive officer Tony Fernandes says he is devastated by the news.
“I am absolutely devastated. This is a very difficult moment for all of us at AirAsia as we await further developments of the search and rescue operations but our first priority now is the wellbeing of the family members of those onboard QZ8501," he says.
"We are sorry to be here today under these tragic circumstances. We would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the family and friends of those on board QZ8501. Our sympathies also go out to the families of our dear colleagues," says AirAsia Indonesia chief executive officer Sunu Widyatmoko.
LIVE updates: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/284865 [FREE]
