AirAsia crash: 6 more bodies recovered

A massive hunt for the 162 victims of AirAsia Flight 8501 resumed in Java Sea on Wednesday morning when the rescuers reportedly recovered 6 more bodies, including a flight attendant identified by her trademark red uniform. But wind, strong currents and high surf hampered recovery efforts as distraught family members anxiously waited to identify their loved ones. However, Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo said the number had varied with different officials saying as many as six corpses had been discovered. He said half of those found were male and half female, including the flight attendant. He added that underwater sonar identified what appeared to be large parts of the plane. On Tuesday, the rescue team, led by Indonesia’s Navy, reportedly recovered 40 bodies from the sea. On Wednesday, divers were deployed, but heavy rain and clouds grounded helicopters, said Soelistyo. The airliner’s disappearance halfway through a 2-hour flight between Surabaya of Indonesia and Singapore triggered an international search for the aircraft involving dozens of planes, ships and helicopters. It is still unclear what brought the plane down. The plane needs to be located and its cockpit voice and flight data recorders, or black boxes, recovered before officials can start determining what caused the crash, report agencies.