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AirAsia confirms debris from doomed plane; CEO says ‘words cannot express’ sorrow AirAsia confirms debris from doomed plane; CEO says ‘words cannot express’ sorrow
(about 4 hours later)
BEIJING — Recovery teams pulled wreckage and bodies from the sea off Indonesia on Tuesday after an intensive three-day search finally yielded evidence of the grim fate of a passenger jet that plunged from storm-laced skies with 162 people aboard. BEIJING — With the discovery of floating wreckage and bodies Tuesday in waters off Indonesia, the massive search and rescue effort for a missing AirAsia jet now turns into a recovery operation.
Officials from the carrier AirAsia confirmed that the debris was from the plane, which disappeared Sunday moments after the pilot asked air traffic control for permission to climb to a higher altitude in an apparent attempt to avoid rough weather. Crews mobilized Wednesday morning to pull more bodies from the Java Sea and to comb underwater for the main fuselage and flight recorders, which represents their best chance of figuring out why the plane crashed.
“We are sorry to be here today under these tragic circumstances,” AirAsia executive Sunu Widyatmoko said in a statement issued in the Indonesian city of Surabaya, from where the Singapore-bound plane had departed. After an intense three-day search, the discovery of the debris and at least three bodies Tuesday was a source of relief and sharp anguish. For families — who had been awaiting word ever since the jet lost radar contact Sunday — it was grim confirmation of their worst fears: that the plane and its 162 passengers had plunged from the storm-laced skies.
Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, thanked the international teams that mobilized for the search. He then addressed the grieving families. Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, rushed to the scene and thanked the international teams that mobilized for the search. Then he addressed the grieving families.
“I feel your loss,” he said. “I feel your loss,” he said, adding prayers that they would be “given strength to face this tragedy.”
Even as bodies and debris were pulled from the Java Sea, experts prepared for the next step: trying to reach what was left of the Airbus A320-200 in waters up to 100 feet deep.
Indonesian authorities said divers and sonar-equipped ships headed to the site, about 100 miles southwest of the coast of Borneo. The top goal is to recover more bodies when operations resume at first light Wednesday — an effort that has been complicated by waves up to 10 feet high.
But officials also are seeking the plane’s voice and flight data recorders, or black boxes, in hopes of gaining clues about the cause of the Flight 8501 crash.
A former accident investigator, John Cox, said the recorders — if found — would probably be sent for analysis by other countries, such as the United States or Australia, that have more advanced decoding technology. It could take several days to fully study the data, he added.
“In those boxes will be the story of what brought down the AirAsia flight,” said Cox, a former captain for US Airways who is now chief executive of the Washington-based consulting firm Safety Operating Systems.
Among the critical questions is whether the plane broke up during flight or hit the water intact.
“It’s important to know because that tells you whether it was a force like a storm that destroyed the airplane in air or if it was a matter of the pilots losing control and never able to recover from it,” said Australia-based aviation security expert Desmond Ross.
One possible advantage for investigators was the relatively shallow seabed and its proximity to shipping lanes. Merchant seamen and others have extensive knowledge of currents that could have carried the orange-colored flight recorders, which are waterproof and fitted with an electronic tracking signal.
“My guess is we’ll know what happened within a week,” said David Gallo, an American oceanographer and co-expedition leader in the investigation of the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447, which went down in the open Atlantic with 228 people aboard and sank more than 13,000 feet. It took about two years to recover the black boxes.
(RELATED: AirAsia flight overshoots runway at Philippine airport during landing.)
As night fell Tuesday, it was unclear how many bodies had been spotted by the international flotilla and air reconnaissance teams.
Indonesia’s rescue operations chief, Bambang Soelistyo, said that at least six bodies were seen and that three were recovered and placed on an Indonesian warship.
A spokesman for the country’s navy, Manahan Simorangkir, said an earlier report that more than 40 bodies were recovered was incorrect and blamed it on “miscommunication” by his staff, the Agence France-Presse news agency reported.
The small number of bodies recovered suggest that many remained in the cabin. In the Air France crash, many of the bodies found were still in the submerged fuselage, Gallo said.
Meanwhile, an array of debris was carried to Indonesian ports: a portable oxygen tank, a light-blue wheeled suitcase, a portion of the inner layer of the aircraft cabin.
At the Surabaya airport, about 400 miles southeast of Jakarta, relatives of those on the flight broke down in tears as television images showed the recovery of a body, bloated by the sun and sea. Some hugged or collapsed in anguish. One man was carried out on a stretcher.At the Surabaya airport, about 400 miles southeast of Jakarta, relatives of those on the flight broke down in tears as television images showed the recovery of a body, bloated by the sun and sea. Some hugged or collapsed in anguish. One man was carried out on a stretcher.
The TV images drew strong condemnation online. The station, TV One, quickly apologized and subsequently blurred out video of the corpse at sea.The TV images drew strong condemnation online. The station, TV One, quickly apologized and subsequently blurred out video of the corpse at sea.
Nearly all the passengers and crew members were Indonesians — some making year-end holiday trips to Singapore.Nearly all the passengers and crew members were Indonesians — some making year-end holiday trips to Singapore.
“Words cannot express how sorry I am,” AirAsia’s chief executive, Tony Ferdandes, wrote in a tweet.“Words cannot express how sorry I am,” AirAsia’s chief executive, Tony Ferdandes, wrote in a tweet.
The debris field was first spotted about six miles from the flight’s last known coordinates. The top goal, authorities said, is to recover more bodies when operations resume at first light Wednesday — an effort that was complicated by strong winds and waves up to 10 feet high.
In a cruel twist, some rescuers thought they saw people waving for help. It turned out to be sea swells tossing lifeless arms. It was unclear how many bodies had been spotted by the international flotilla and air reconnaissance teams by the end of operations at nightfall Tuesday.
Indonesia’s rescue operations chief, Bambang Soelistyo, said that at least six bodies were seen and that three were recovered and placed on an Indonesian warship. A spokesman for the country’s navy, Manahan Simorangkir, initally said more than 40 bodies were recovered, but later told reporters it was an error based on“miscommunication” by his staff.
The small number of bodies recovered suggest that many may remain in the underwater wreckage. In the 2009 Air France 447 crash, to which many experts have compared the AirAsia situation, the majority of bodies found were not recovered until authorities found the submerged fuselage.
Meanwhile, an array of debris was carried Tuesday to Indonesian ports: a portable oxygen tank, a light-blue wheeled suitcase, a portion of the inner layer of the aircraft cabin.
The debris field was spotted about six miles from the flight’s last known coordinates and roughly 100 miles southeast of the coast of Borneo.
It was discovered by a fisherman, who hadn’t heard of the missing plane and had no clue what the debris signified until he returned to his village, local news outlet Tempo reported.
In a cruel twist, some rescuers initially sent thought they saw people waving for help. It turned out to be sea swells tossing lifeless arms.
“When we approached closer [we saw] they were already dead,” said Lt. Tri Wibowo, co-pilot of a Hercules C-130 involved in the search effort, according to the Indonesian newspaper Kompas.“When we approached closer [we saw] they were already dead,” said Lt. Tri Wibowo, co-pilot of a Hercules C-130 involved in the search effort, according to the Indonesian newspaper Kompas.
The spotters on the plane also saw what looked like a shadow on the seabed in the shape of a plane. The spotters on the plane also saw what looked like a shadow on the seabed in the shape of a plane, which search officials believe could be the main wreckage.
Indonesian authorities said Monday that they believed the plane was lying at the bottom of the sea, prompting a request to the United States, Britain and France for more advanced equipment. Even as they pull more bodies and debris Wednesday from the Java Sea, investigators are preparing for the next step: trying to reach what was left of the Airbus A320-200 in relatively shallow waters up to 100 feet deep.
The USS Sampson, a guided-missile destroyer, joined the search late Tuesday. Indonesian authorities have sent divers and sonar-equipped ships headed to the site.
In a statement issued late Monday, search officials said they have deployed 12 helicopters, 11 planes and 32 ships, including assets from Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, with more than 1,100 personnel involved. Even fishing boats were tapped in the widespread search. The USS Sampson, a guided-missile destroyer, joined the search late Tuesday and has launched helicopters to help. U.S. defense officials said the USS Fort Worth is also ready to assist from its port in Singapore.
Until the discoveries Tuesday, the frustrating maritime search was eerily similar to the case of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared over the Indian Ocean in March. The whereabouts of the plane, with 239 people aboard, are still a mystery. A former accident investigator, John Cox, said the the plane’s voice and flight data recorders — if found — would have to be sent for analysis by other countries, such as the United States or Australia, that have more advanced decoding technology. It could take up to three days to fully study the data, he added.
“Reality is so cruel,” said Jiang Hui, a salesman in Beijing whose 70-year-old mother was on the Malaysia Airlines flight. “I feel so much for the families of the AirAsia flight. I have been in their place for the last 10 months.” “In those boxes,” said Cox, a former captain for US Airways, “will be the story of what brought down the AirAsia flight.”
A statement from Malaysia Airlines extended “deepest sympathies” to the families of the AirAsia victims. Among the critical questions is whether the plane broke up during flight or hit the water intact.
For now, the last recorded moments of the AirAsia flight offer the only hint of what may have happened. “It’s important to know because that tells you whether it was a force like a storm that destroyed the airplane in air or if it was a matter of the pilots losing control and never able to recover from it,” said Australia-based aviation security expert Desmond Ross.
According to Indonesia’s state-owned navigation provider, AirNav, the pilot asked air traffic control at 6:12 a.m. on Sunday for permission to turn left to avoid bad weather. Permission was granted, the Jakarta Post reported. One possible advantage for investigators was the relatively shallow seabed and its proximity to shipping lanes. Merchant seamen and others have extensive knowledge of currents that could have carried the wreckage and the orange-colored flight recorders, which are waterproof and fitted with an electronic tracking signal.
The pilot then asked to climb from 32,000 to 38,000 feet but did not explain why. “My guess is we’ll know what happened within a week,” said David Gallo, an American oceanographer and co-expedition leader in the investigation of the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447.
Jakarta’s air traffic control conferred with Singapore-based counterparts and agreed to allow the plane to move to 34,000 feet because a second ­AirAsia flight, 8502, was flying at 38,000 feet. But by the time air traffic controllers relayed the permission to climb at 6:14 a.m., there was no reply. (RELATED: AirAsia flight overshoots runway at Philippine airport during landing.)
Deane reported from London and Murphy from Washington. Liu Liu and Gu Jinglu in Beijing contributed to this report.Deane reported from London and Murphy from Washington. Liu Liu and Gu Jinglu in Beijing contributed to this report.