AirAsia QZ8501: 40 Bodies Found

Distraught family members of passengers onboard the missing AirAsia flight. Source: AFP

(news,com.au) – DEBRIS and moer than 40 bodies from the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 have been found, authorities have confirmed.

Indonesian officials said that debris spotted earlier today is from the missing plane. The debris is about 10 kilometres from when it was last seen on radar.

Indonesia’s director general of civil aviation, Djoko Murjatmodjo, told AFP: “For the time being it can be confirmed that it’s the AirAsia plane and the transport minister will depart soon to Pangkalan Bun.”

Objects that have been found include an emergency door and a life jacket while a plane ‘shadow’ was spotted on the seabed.

An Indonesian warship has recovered more than 40 bodies from the sea in the search for the AirAsia jet, a navy spokesman told AFP.

Indonesia’s national search and rescue director SB Supriyadi told reporters that bodies had been brought to an Indonesian navy ship. He said they did not have life jackets on.

As relatives of the passengers were assembled in a room in Surabaya, they watched images of a floating body that had been broadcast on local TV.

Many screamed and wailed uncontrollably, breaking down into tears while they squeezed each other. One middle-aged man collapsed and was rushed from the room on a stretcher.