AirAsia planes lineup on a runway (Photo: AP)
At least 40 bodies have been found in the area where AirAsia Flight 8501 last made contact with air traffic controllers, as well as debris from the plane. The bodies were found in the Java Sea roughly six miles from the plane made last contact before it disappeared Sunday with 162 people on board traveling from Surbaya, Indonesia to Singapore.
According to Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi, the bodies were not wearing life jackets when rescue workers were lowered on ropes from a hovering helicopter to retrieve the passengers.
However, Supriyadi said rescuers were challenged by 6-foot waves and strong winds and that several bodies were later picked up by a navy ship.
“The warship Bung Tomo has retrieved 40 bodies and the number is growing. They are very busy now,” a navy spokesman added.
Tony Fernandes, the CEO of AirAsia, offered his condolences in a message on his Twitter account.
My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia my condolences … http://t.co/OJGobL93cR
— Tony Fernandes (@tonyfernandes) December 30, 2014
Obviously, the comment was of little comfort to family members, who watched the grim news unfold on local television. Indonesian television actually showed a half-naked, bloated body bobbing up and down in the sea. Family members screaming, another man fainted and yet another was rushed from the room on a stretcher.
Rescue crews operating dozens of planes, helicopters and ships from various countries searching for the missing aircraft discovered what they said appeared to be a life jacket and an emergency exit door. A piece of the plane’s interior, including an oxygen tank, was taken to Pangkalan Bun, which is the nearest town to be examined. Rescuers also found a bright blue plastic suitcase that appeared to be in perfect condition.
Pilots of the jet had been worried about the weather on Sunday and sought permission to climb above threatening clouds, but were denied due to heavy air traffic. Minutes later, the jet was gone from the radar without issuing a distress signal.
The suspected crash ends a tragic year for air travelers and companies in Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia. The still-unsolved disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March with 239 people aboard and the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in July over Ukraine, which killed all 298 passengers and crew, also contributed to a disastrous 2014.
