Rescuers scouring mountains in Indonesia around the crash site of a Russian Sukhoi Superjet which came down on Wednesday have yet to locate any bodies.

As many as 50 people are believed to have been onboard the Sukhoi Superjet 100 when it vanished from radar screens 50 minutes after taking off from Jakarta.

The plane had been on a demonstration flight.

Following an intensive search, debris from the aircraft was located on the side Mount Salak, a nearby dormant volcano.

“An investigation must be carried out immediately and thoroughly,” Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told local television.

“Search and rescue operations must prioritise finding any survivors.”

Eight Russian pilots and technicians, Indonesian airline representatives and journalists were among those said to be on board the plane.

Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev has set up a commission to investigate the cause of the accident.

The commission is headed by the industry minister Yury Slyusar.

The Superjet 100 was designed by the civil aircraft division of the Russian aerospace company Sukhoi in co-operation with Boeing.