Rescuers scouring the Java Sea for a missing AirAsia plane with 162 aboard halted their search at nightfall on Sunday, Indonesia’s transport ministry said.

“We ended at 5:30 pm (1030 GMT) because it was getting dark. The weather was also not too good as it was getting really cloudy,” transport ministry official Hadi Mustofa told AFP.

“Tomorrow we will begin at 7 am, or even earlier than that if the weather is good,” he added.