Missing AirAsia plane: NZ sends help

A crew of an Indonesian Air Force C-130 airplane of the 31st Air Squadron looks out of the window during a search operation for the missing AirAsia flight 8501 jetliner. Photo / AP

New Zealand has sent a military aircraft to help in the search for missing AirAsia flight QZ8501.

It comes after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) yesterday confirmed it would offer assistance to Indonesian authorities with the search, but it was unclear at that stage what form that help would take.

Today a spokeswoman for the ministry said a Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion had been sent to join the international search mission.

"The aircraft departed this morning and will arrive in Darwin later today. It will be tasked as per the instructions of the Indonesian authorities," the Mfat spokeswoman said.

"Our thoughts remain with the family members of those who were on the flight as they wait for further news."

Mfat also confirmed yesterday that there were no indications any New Zealanders were on board the missing flight, which lost contact with air traffic control while travelling from Indonesia to Singapore on Sunday.

Flight QZ8501 disappeared at about 6.16am local time (12.16pm NZT), a short time after the pilot asked to deviate from the flight path due to bad weather.

It took off from Surabaya on Sunday at 5.30am local time (11.30am NZT), and was scheduled to land at Singapore's Changi Airport at 8.30am Singapore local time (1.30pm NZT).

The search for the aircraft resumed again today. It was now concentrated on an oil patch spotted off Belitung island, across from Kalimantan on Borneo island in the Java Sea, the Indonesian Air Force said.