A Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 is still missing after disappearing on Wednesday. The plane, with 50 people on board, including Indonesian businessmen, Russian embassy officials and journalists, disappeared from radar screens 20 minutes after takeoff. Transport Ministry Spokesman Bamban Ervan told a news conference that, “the last contact was when they asked for permission to descend from 10,000 ft to 6,000 ft” near Mount Salak. Rescue teams are heading out to the mountains where the plane went missing this morning. Helicopters will also join the search. The plane is believed to have crashed but has yet to be found. The Sukhoi Superjet was on its second flight of a demonstration program in Indonesia. The Superjet is crucial to Russia’s attempt to lift the country’s aviation industry and become a major player in the modern aviation market.
