More bodies have been
recovered from the Java Sea, five days after AirAsia flight QZ8501
crashed, bringing the total found so far to 30, Indonesian rescue
officials say.
The Airbus A320 disappeared with 162 people on board while flying from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore.
Operations to recover victims continue but no survivors have been found.
Specialist equipment has arrived to aid the search for the plane itself and its "black box" flight recorders.
However officials said it could not be used on Friday because of high waves, Reuters reported.
The plane is almost certainly at the bottom of the relatively shallow Java Sea.
The cause of the crash is not known yet.
'Strapped in seats'
Some 20 more bodies were found on Friday, as a massive search operation in the presumed crash area continued.
Some were reported to be still strapped into their seats.
The aircraft's fuselage has still not been located, and it is thought most of the passengers could be inside.
"Waves were between three and four metres today, making it
difficult to load bodies onto ships and [move them] between ships," the
head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency said.
Bambang Soelistyo told reporters in Jakarta that some vessels
would search through the night. "Tonight we are sending tug boats
which should make the [body] transfers easier."
He estimated the fuselage was at a depth of about 25-30m (80-100ft).
In a statement,
AirAsia confirmed only that 22 bodies had been found, adding: "Our
thoughts and prayers remain with the families and friends of our
passengers and colleagues on board QZ8501."
The bodies recovered from the sea are being taken to Surabaya in numbered coffins.
Four people have been identified so far: Hayati Lutfiah
Hamid; Grayson Herbert Linaksita; Kevin Alexander Sutjipto; and
Khairunisa Haidar Fauzi.
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