Pope Francis prays for ongoing AirAsia search

Rome, Italy, Dec 29, 2014 / 11:07 am

In his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis promised his prayers for families affected by the disappearance of an AirAsia jet carrying 162 people.

The Pope said his "thoughts are with those on board this missing AirAsia plane" as well as families and loved ones undergoing "these difficult situations with apprehension and suffering."

Pope Francis also prayed for rescue workers involved in the tragedy.

AirAsia Flight 8501 went missing Sunday morning during a flight from Indonesia to Singapore. The jet was carrying 162 people - including 16 children and one infant.

An international search-and-rescue operation has been fruitless. The head of the Indonesian government's rescue effort told CNN the jet likely crashed into Indonesia's Java Sea.

The Pope also offered his condolences to the victims of a ferry accident on Sunday in the Adriatic Sea. The ferry caught fire while carrying more than 400 passengers between Greece and Italy. Eight people have been confirmed dead, according to CNN. By Monday afternoon, the Italian coast guard confirmed the evacuation all remaining passengers.

The origin of the fire remains unclear. Though, the ferry was reportedly carrying trucks filled with oil. A Greek news agency reported the cargo may have scraped the ceiling and set off sparks to start the blaze.