No Filipinos onboard crashed Lion Air plane – DFA

Department of Foreign Affairs (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

There were no Filipinos reported to be onboard the ill-fated aircraft that was bound for Pangkal Pinang in the Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Monday.

READ: Lion Air plane crash

The Philippines, meanwhile, offered its sympathies and prayers to Indonesia after a Lion Air 737 aircraft with 188 passengers and crew members on board crashed into the sea shortly after taking off from Jakarta early Monday.

According to Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Hiong Wee, the Philippine Embassy was in touch with the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as soon as the crash was reported.

He added that he was informed that there were no Filipinos in the flight manifest./ac