Japan sends 2 vessels to assist AirAsia-related search operations

The Japanese government has sent two maritime vessels to help the Indonesian team locate the victims of AirAsia flight QZ8501.

The Japanese Embassys Charge de Affairs to Indonesia, Yusuke Shindo, said during a press briefing here on Wednesday afternoon that the two vessels of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), named Takanami and Onami, had docked in Klang Port, Malaysia, and are ready to enter Indonesian waters.

The two vessels carried a total of some four hundred personnel on board, along with helicopters, including two SH-60Ks on Takanami and a SH-60J on Onami.

"The coordinators of the Japanese team are scheduled to arrive here in Jakarta tonight (Wednesday night). We will continue to coordinate with the Indonesian government because the information is not concrete and can change in minutes," Shindo stated.

According to the Charge de Affairs, the Japanese assistance team will comprise some officials of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

On Thursday (January 1), the Japanese team will meet the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) of Indonesia to discuss ways to coordinate their joint operations in Karimata Straight, Kalimantan.

With regard to the announcement made on Tuesday (December 30), which revealed that the Indonesian government would hold talks on foreign assistance for the SAR operations to track down the AirAsia aircraft in Karimata Straight, Shindo pointed out that his government was aware of it and would keep consulting with the Basarnas.

"As we know, the Indonesian government changed its request for assistance following the discovery of some debris and bodies," Shindo remarked.

"This is why we will await news on further coordination. Earlier, the SAR teams first priority was to locate the aircraft, but it will now assist in tracking down the victims," he added.

In another interview, a spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Armanatha Christian Nasir, confirmed that the government had granted diplomatic clearance on Wednesday for the two JSDF destroyer vessels to enter Indonesian territory so that they can join the joint search and rescue efforts any time.

Source: ANTARA