Indonesia finds body parts, debris, detects emergency signal of crashed jet

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. detect / dɪˈtɛkt / (v) – to discover or notice something not easily seen, heard, or tasted
    Example:

    The machine detects small movements from the ground.


  2. take off / teɪk ɔf / (phrasal) – to leave the ground and begin flying
    Example:

    The plane took off at 11:30 a.m.


  3. retrieve / rɪˈtriv / (v) – to get or bring back something
    Example:

    The dog retrieved the ball after James threw it in the bushes.


  4. plunge / plʌndʒ / (v) – to suddenly fall or move from a high point
    Example:

    Amanda jumped off the cliff and plunged into the water below.


  5. descent / dɪˈsɛnt / (n) – the act or process of going downward
    Example:

    Passengers are required to fasten their seat belts before the airplane’s descent.


Article

Read the text below.

Indonesia detected signals Jan. 10 that could be from a flight recorder of a Sriwijaya Air jet that crashed into the sea soon after taking off from the capital Jakarta, as human body parts and suspected pieces of the plane were retrieved.


The Boeing 737-500, with 62 passengers and crew, was headed to Pontianak in West Kalimantan before it disappeared Jan. 9 from radar screens four minutes after takeoff.


The crash is the first major airline incident in Indonesia since the crash of a Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 in 2018 that killed all 189 passengers and crew. Both planes plunged into the Java Sea soon after takeoff from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.


“We have detected signals in two points. This could be the black box,” Bagus Puruhito, chief of Indonesia’s search and rescue agency, told reporters.


Flight SJ 182 had 12 crew and 50 passengers on board, all Indonesians and including seven children and three babies.


There were no immediate clues on what may have caused the jet’s sudden descent. (Reuters)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Experts often say that it’s more dangerous to drive than it is to fly. Do you agree? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • In recent years, two planes have crashed soon after taking off from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. Would you fly from an airport like that? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Many pilots have said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for them to practice flying. Do you think there will be more plane crashes when international travel becomes common again? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • For this latest incident, pieces of the jet have been found, but other flights such as MH370 have disappeared and never been found. What do you think happened to those flights? Why? Discuss.
  • How long do you think authorities should keep searching for missing flights (ex. one year, until they’re found)? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think that authorities often know more about missing flights than they release to the public? Why or why not? Discuss.