PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia (AP) – Family members of those aboard AirAsia Flight 8501 collapsed in agony today as images of debris and a bloated body flashed across Indonesian television screens, proof that the plane crashed into the sea two days earlier with 162 people on board.
The jet vanished Sunday halfway through a two-hour flight between Surabaya, Indonesia, and Singapore after encountering severe storms. The disappearance triggered an international hunt for the aircraft by dozens of planes, ships and helicopters.
On the third day of searching, the first signs of the airliner – a life jacket and an emergency exit door – were found in shallow, aqua-coloured waters only about 10 miles (16 kilometres) from the plane’s last known coordinates.
Parts of the jetliner’s interior, including an oxygen tank, were brought to the nearest town, Pangkalan Bun. Another find included a bright blue plastic suitcase, completely unscratched.
“I know the plane has crashed, but I cannot believe my brother and his family are dead,” said Ifan Joko, who lost seven relatives, three of them children, as they travelled to Singapore to ring in the New Year. “We still pray they are alive.”
First Admiral Sigit Setiayanta, commander of the Naval Aviation Centre at Surabaya Air Force base, told reporters six corpses were spotted about 160 kilometres (100 miles) from Central Kalimantan province.
Rescue workers descended on ropes from a hovering helicopter to retrieve bodies. Efforts were hindered by two-metre-high (6-foot) waves and strong winds, National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi said.
The first body was later picked up by a navy ship. Officials said as many as six others followed, but they disagreed about the exact number.
Supriyadi was on the aircraft and saw what appeared to be more wreckage under the water, which was clear and a relatively shallow 20 to 30 metres (65 to 100 feet).
Television coverage of the discovery sent a spasm of pain through the room at the Surabaya airport where relatives were waiting for news, especially as it showed a half-naked man floating in the water, a shirt partially covering his head.
Many screamed and wailed uncontrollably, breaking down into tears while they squeezed each other. One middle-aged man collapsed and had to be carried out on a stretcher.
Their horror at the news was captured by cameras on the other side of windows into the waiting room. To give traumatised family members privacy, officials blacked out the glass later Tuesday evening.
