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AirAsia QZ8501: 'Pings' detected in plane search AirAsia QZ8501: 'Pings' detected in plane search
(35 minutes later)
"Pings" have been detected in the Java Sea which could have come from the "black box" of AirAsia flight QZ8501, officials say. "Pings" have been detected in the Java Sea which could have come from the "black box" flight recorders of AirAsia flight QZ8501, officials say.
The commander of the Indonesian armed forces, Gen Moeldoko, told the BBC divers had been sent to investigate.The commander of the Indonesian armed forces, Gen Moeldoko, told the BBC divers had been sent to investigate.
There are concerns that this means the flight recorders are not in the tail of the plane, found earlier, as previously thought, he added. The pings were heard near where the tail of the plane was found, which could mean the black box was separated from the rear part of the plane.
QZ8501 disappeared from radar on 28 December with 162 people on board.QZ8501 disappeared from radar on 28 December with 162 people on board.
No survivors have been found from the plane, which was flying from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore.No survivors have been found from the plane, which was flying from Surabaya in Indonesia to Singapore.
"A ship detected the pings. The divers are trying to reach it," said S.B Supriyadi, in Pangkalan Bun, the base for search operations. "We received an update from the field that the pinger locator already detected pings," said Santoso Sayogo, an investigator at the National Transportation Safety Committee.
"The location of the ping is reported to be near where the tail was found." "We have our fingers crossed it is the black box. Divers need to confirm. Unfortunately it seems it's off from the tail. But the divers need to confirm the position."
The "black box" flight data recorders are usually housed inside the rear part of the plane. They are designed to survive a crash and being submerged in water, and contain underwater locator beacons which emit the so-called "pings" for at least 30 days.
Finding them has been one of the top priorities for search teams as they provide crucial clues from the last moments of the flight before it came down.
The cause of the crash is unknown but the plane encountered bad weather and asked for a flight path change before communication was lost.
'Broken condition'
The BBC's Alice Budisatrijo, who is on board an Indonesian warship with Gen Moeldoko, says a crane has been deployed to pull the tail out of the water. An attempt yesterday was hampered by strong currents and low visibility.The BBC's Alice Budisatrijo, who is on board an Indonesian warship with Gen Moeldoko, says a crane has been deployed to pull the tail out of the water. An attempt yesterday was hampered by strong currents and low visibility.
The rear part of the plane was spotted on Wednesday by an unmanned underwater vehicle and is usually where the flight data recorders are housed. The rear part of the plane was spotted on Wednesday by an unmanned underwater vehicle. Authorities said it was upside down and partially buried. Gen Moeldoko said on Friday it appeared to be in broken condition.
Authorities said it was upside down and partially buried. Gen Moeldoko said on Friday it appeared to be in broken condition. Authorities have been pulling bodies and wreckage from the sea but progress has been slow due to high waves and stormy weather.
Forty-six bodies have been retrieved so far. Search teams believe most of the passengers remains may still be inside the fuselage of the plane which has yet to be found.