Debris and Bodies Have Reportedly Been Found of Missing Flight QZ8501
Indonesian Search teams have discovered bodies as well as strewn debris from the Java Sea which are believed to be from the missing plane QZ8501. A major search and rescue operation using approximately 30 ships and 15 aircraft from nine countries was used to source the missing flight.
An Indonesian TV station displayed an image of a floating body in the sea which was promptly pulled after relatives of passengers reportedly burst into tears upon seeing it.
Rescue teams spotted a “shadow” of a plane in the water, Bambang Soelistyo, the head of Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency informed the media, “At 12:50 the air force Hercules found an object described as a shadow at the bottom of the sea in the form of a plane.”
“All elements in the areas and search and rescue personnel will be moved to the location.” He added.
The Indonesian navy have revealed that 40 bodies had been recovered and a co-pilot involved of one of the planes involved in the search said he saw, “dozens of floating bodies as well as bags and aircraft debris”. It was also reported that the bodies of the passengers were not wearing life jackets.
Indonesian air force official Agus Dwi Putranto stated search officials found objects 10km from the spot where the plane was last seen on radar, “We spotted about 10 big objects and many more small white-coloured objects which we could not photograph,” he said.
“It is not really clear…it could be the wall of the plane or the door of the plane,” Putranto said. “Let’s pray that those objects are what we are really trying to find.”
However the acting director general of air transport said the objects may have been from the body of the aircraft although they still needed to be analysed to determine the connection.
Tony Fernandes, chief executive of AirAsia, spent a day meeting families of the passengers and crew and described it as one of his toughest days. “My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501,” he tweeted. “On behalf of AirAsia my condolences.”
Indonesian officials announced they would be widening the search area. France, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, the US, New Zealand, South Korea and China are assisting in the search.
