Family and friends gather to pray for pilot of missing AirAsia flight

Family and friends of the pilot of missing AirAsia aircraft have been praying for his safe return, gathering at his family house in the east Java town of Sidoarjo, about an hour’s drive from where the flight he captained left for Singapore, to pray and recite the Koran.

Iryanto’s wife, Ida, reportedly locked herself in her room after hearing that the AirAsia flight had lost contact with Indonesian air traffic control and has refused to meet guests.

The couple’s daughter yesterday issued an appeal for her father’s safe return. Angela Anggi Ranastianis (22) wrote on the social network Path: “Papa, come home. I still need you. Bring back my father. Papa, come home, Pa. Papa has to be found. Papa must come home.”

Angela and her seven-year- old brother Arya Galih Gegana were reportedly staying with family in Yogyakarta, but planned to return home on Sunday evening to be with their mother.

In fate’s hands

Iryanto’s father, Suwarto, told the BBC: “I want my son to come back alive and well, but if that’s not to be, if God doesn’t want that, it’s in the hands of fate. My son is not alone on the plane. If this is God’s will, then so be it.”

He said that he had last seen Iryanto last week at the funeral of his other son, who had died of diabetes.

At the prayer session at the family home on Sunday evening, cries from the distraught family could be heard from outside, where three televisions had been set up to monitor search developments.

Local neighbourhood official Bagianto Djoyonegoro said reporters should not bother Ida as she was struggling to bear the weight of the news. He said Iryanto was a good man.

“That’s why people here appointed him as our neighbourhood chief for the last two years.” Iryanto was an experienced pilot who flew F-16 fighter jets before becoming a commercial airline pilot, friends said. He had more than 20,000 flying hours, of which 6,100 were with AirAsia on the Airbus 320, according to the airline.

“We hope Iryanto and the other passengers are safe and that the plane will be found soon,” said Bagianto.

– ( Guardian service)