AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes has said that he is "devastated" that a plane from Indonesia to Singapore with 162 people on board has gone missing.
Fernandes said that their foremost concern were the families of the passengers and crew members, reported BBC.
He also said that AirAsia hopes to find the plane quickly and that the cause of what happened is immediately identified.
Air Asia flight QZ8501 disappeared over the Java Sea after bad weather was reported in the area but no distress calls were made and no wreckage has yet been sighted.
The search for the missing flight was immediately launched with vessels and aircraft from Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia but nothing was reported to be found before nightfall.
The search and rescue forced will resume at dawn with 12 ships, three helicopters and five aircraft.
