BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhuanet) -- A break in the weather Thursday allowed search aircraft to take to the skies, while ships searched the sea and soldiers tackled tough jungle terrain as a search resumed for a jetliner that disappeared Monday ove r a remote corner of Indonesia with 102 people on board.

    Eddy Suyanto, the Indonesian air force's general in charge of the search, said the weather was clear but that wind, rain and cloud forecast for later in the day would likely bring a halt to the air mission.

    The Adam Air plane, a Boeing 737, was flying from Indonesia's main island of Java to North Sulawesi's provincial capital of Manado when it went off radar in severe weather after sending out distress signals -- the first over forested mountains and the second along the coast.

    Aviation experts said it was not unusual for planes to go missing for days, especially in mountainous or heavily forested regions.

    "In an area of low population density, particularly if it is in inhospitable terrain -- such as jungle, or a deep ravine or covered by a canopy -- it could sit for a long time without being found," explained Laurence Benn, head of the Center for Civil Aviation in London.

Top Indonesian aviation, military and police officials -- and the airline itself -- on Tuesday claimed the plane had been found in remote mountains. They said that 90 people on board had perished, but the remaining 12 survived.

    Rescuers spent the first day climbing steep, treacherous trials in western Sulawesi, admitting later that they were chasing rumors from villagers about burning wreckage and survivors.

    "Indonesia is a place full of miscommunication, contradictory information and confusion during an accident like this," said Nicholas Ionides, managing editor for Flight International Magazine in Asia. "There is gossip and rumor and you never know what the facts are."

    Relatives of the passengers -- some camped out at the Adam Air counter at the Manado airport -- were losing patience. More than 150 gathered at a crisis center outside the airport demanding information.

    "It's been three days, we just want to know what happened," said Selvi Kawengian, 43, whose younger brother was on the plane with his wife and 18-month-old son.

    Three Americans were on board: Scott Jackson, a 54-year-old wood-products industry representative, and his daughters, 21-year-old Stephanie and 18-year-old Lindsey, the Oregonian newspaper reported.

    It was unclear whether any other foreigners were on the plane.

    (Agencies)