Missionaries, holidaying families among those on QZ8501
A man who was about to be married, missionaries, a biology teacher, an energy executive, families on holiday and pilots with years of experience were among those on AirAsia flight QZ8501.
As grieving relatives wait for the latest update of the search and rescue operation being carried out off the coast of Borneo, details are slowly emerging of the lives of the victims of AirAsia crash.
Among them were a family who were looking forward to their holiday in Singapore, Donna Indah Nurwatie, her husband Gusti Made Bobi Sidartha, and their children, Gusti Atu Putriyan Permata, Gusti Ayu Made Keish Putri, CNN reported.
Donna's mother, Maria Endang Wirasmi didn't want to believe her family was on the plane. But as she read through the manifest, the 65-year-old said she came to terms with a devastating reality.
"First, I saw my son-in-law's name. I didn't tell my husband, because I didn't want him to panic. It was only after I saw my daughter's name and my two granddaughters' names on the list that I told him," CNN quoted him as saying.
Following the discovery of debris and remains yesterday, Maria is now dealing with the possibility that her loved ones didn't survive the crash.
"I know this is a big tragedy, but why did this happen to my daughter? I know everyone dies when it's time, but I believe in an afterlife, so my way to cope with my loss, I will pray more often and give this to God," she said.
Her husband, Imam Sampurno, however, is hoping for a miracle.
"We hope that our children will be saved by a miracle," CNN quoted him as saying.
Louise Sidharta was heading to the airport to pick up her fiance, Alain Oktavianus Siauw, when she heard the news: AirAsia Flight QZ8501 was missing.
Alain was supposed to be enjoying a family vacation before the two got married. "It was to be his last vacation with his family," CNN quoted her as telling reporters.
Alain's Facebook page says he lives in Malang, a province in Indonesia.
Another passenger on the plane was Oei Jimmy Sentosa Winata who was travelling with his wife, their 13-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter, reported CNN.
His sister, Oei Endang Sulsilowati said she wasn't worried initially when she heard that a plane was missing as her brother usually travelled by a different airline.
"Then someone told me that she saw his name on TV. Then I saw it," she said, weeping.
"We don't know what to do. We are just waiting for news."
British national Choi Chi Man was travelling on the plane with his 2-year-old daughter, Zoe, Indonesia-based Alstom Power said on Twitter.
He had just started a job as an executive there, The Independent reported. They were travelling on flight QZ8501 because an earlier plane was full, the British newspaper said.
In his LinkedIn profile, former colleagues praised Choi for his experience in multicultural work environments, communicating well with people from different cultures.
Reggy Ardhi, Caroline Harwon Lioe, Marianne Claudia Ardhi, Michelle Clemency Ardhi and Jayden Cruz Ardhi were travelling to Singapore to celebrate the New Year, the Independent reported.
"It's hard to believe. Hopefully they're safe, but I don't know, we are just praying now," CNN quoted Yulia Wang, principal at Surabaya Cambridge School, where Jayden, Michelle and Marianne were students.
"Everybody is praying, including their friends."
One student at the school, she said, tried to send a message to Marianne, asking her to turn on her GPS so she could be found.
There was no reply.
Raven Limadinata said he received a message from Michelle from inside flight QZ8501 before it took off. Using the messaging app SnapChat, she sent a picture showing the plane's wing, along with the caption "bye Surabaya".
Missionary Park Seong Beom had been teaching Korean and computer skills in Indonesia.
He was travelling with his wife and their 11-month-old baby to Singapore to renew their visas, Channel News Asia reported.
Before their arrival in Indonesia in September, they had been missionaries in Cambodia for four years.
Pilot Captain Iriyanto had more than 20,000 flying hours under his belt, 6,100 of which were with AirAsia on the Airbus 320.
He was an F-16 fighter jet pilot with the Indonesian Air Force and retired early to become a commercial airline pilot, the Jakarta Post reported.
In his spare time, he was a member of a motorcycle club, according to media reports. Pictures on Facebook show the captain posing with a motorcycle.
A post on a social media account thought to belong to the pilot's daughter, Angela Anggi Ranastianis, reads: "Dad, please come home, I still need you. Please return, Dad. Dad, come home Dad. You have to come home."
Iriyanto's wife, Rr Widiya Sukati Putri, said she wanted to know where he was, CNN reported.
"I hope as his wife, he will be back well and alive. The children still need a father, I still also need guidance from a husband," she said. "He's a good husband in my eyes and he's a faithful husband, a great husband. I can't name all his qualities." – December 31, 2014.
