The Thai air force is ready to assist in the search for missing AirAsia flight 8501 if asked, RTAF chief Treetos Sonjaeng said on Tuesday, but added he doubted the plane went down in the sea.
Air force chief Treetos Sonjaeng at RTAF headquarters on Tuesday (photo by Wassana Nanuam)
If the missing Airbus A320-200 hit the sea its debris should have spread on the water surface, ACM Treetos said at Royal Thai Air Force headquarters.
He could not believe the plane had crashed and sunk in the sea without leaving any trace.
If the plane had hit the sea, it should have broken into pieces upon impact. He viewed the plane's disappearance as "unusual".
Air force personnel could be deployed to assist in the search if Indonesia requested such support, the RTAF chief said.
Navy chief Adm Kraisorn Chansuwanit also said on Tuesday that the navy would assist in the search if it received a request to help.
AirAsia flight QZ8501 went missing on its way from Surabaya, East Java, to Singapore on Sunday morning with 162 people on board.