Forty bodies from the AirAsia flight which disappeared on Sunday have been recovered off the coast of Borneo, Indonesian officials have confirmed.
The bodies were found in the Java Sea about six miles (10km) from Flight 8501’s last communications with air traffic control. The plane with 162 people on board disappeared on its way from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore after encountering storm clouds.
The recovered bodies, swollen but intact, were taken to an Indonesian navy ship, National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi told reporters in the nearest town, Pangkalan Bun. The victims were not wearing life jackets.
Images on Indonesian television showed a half-naked bloated body bobbing in the sea. Search and rescue teams were lowered on ropes from a hovering helicopter to retrieve the corpses.
As family members of the plane’s passengers sat together in a waiting room at Surabaya airport, they watched the graphic details on television. Many screamed and wailed uncontrollably, breaking down in tears while they squeezed each other. One middle-aged man collapsed and was rushed from the room on a stretcher.
The discovery came after several pieces of red, white and black debris were spotted in the Java Sea near Borneo island.
AirAsia group chief executive Tony Fernandes said on Twitter: “My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia my condolences to all. Words cannot express how sorry I am.