Officials deny Indonesian jetliner found

By ZAKKI HAKIM, Associated Press Writer 10 minutes ago

POLEWALI MANDAR, Indonesia - Indonesia's transportation minister said Tuesday that rescuers had not found the wreckage of a missing passenger jetliner, despite earlier statements from aviation and police officials that it had been located.The Adam Air Boeing 737 carrying 102 people sent out two distress signals in stormy weather Monday. It was halfway through its two-hour flight from Indonesia's main island of Java to Manado, on the northern tip of Sulawesi, one of the largest islands in the sprawling archipelago.

"The search and rescue team is still looking for the location," Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa told El-Shinta radio, insisting that earlier statements that the wreckage had been located were based on rumors from villagers that were passed on to local officials. "It has not yet been found."

Police Chief Col. Genot Hariyanto had earlier said that rescue teams arrived at the crash site on Sulawesi's western coast early Tuesday and found the charred wreckage of Adam Air Flight KI-574 and scores of bodies.

Setyo Raharjo, head of the National Commission on Transportation Safety, also said that searchers had found 90 bodies at the scene and the search for the other 12 was continuing. He had said the crash site was inaccessible by helicopter or car.

Other senior aviation officials also later retreated from the reports that the wreckage had been found.