AirAsia Not Alone: What is it with Java Sea and missing planes?

The Indonesian Air Force scans the horizon searching for signs of AirAsia Flight QZ8501. (Associated Press)

With oil slicks spotted but no debris found, the search for AirAsia flight QZ8501 will continue tomorrow, adding new areas south of Belitung Island in the Java Sea, where many believe the plane rests at the bottom of the ocean. 

If this shallow sea is indeed the final resting place of the 162 souls onboard, they will not be alone. Nestled between the Indonesian islands of Kalimantan (to the north), Java (to the south), Sumatra (to the west), and Sulawesi (to the east), the Java Sea is already a graveyard of sorts. Many have lost their lives in the tropical waters.

In Jan. 2007, a local Indonesian flight (of the now defunct Adam Air) carrying 102 souls on board lost contact with air traffic control over the Java Sea. Ten days later, debris from the plane was found off the coast of Sulawesi. There were no survivors. It was later determined that the plane went down due to pilot error.

There have also been a series of ferry accidents.

In Nov. 2009, a ferry carrying passengers between the Indonesian islands sank in stormy waters off the coast of Sumatra. Though more than 200 people were rescued, 30 people were killed in the rough waters.

In December 2006, a ferry carrying over 600 people broke apart as it was tossed among the waves in the Java Sea. More than 400 perished.