Searchers detect strong signals from AirAsia black box

By: 10 years ago

In this undated underwater photo released by Indonesia's National Search And Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, the part of the wreckage that BASARNAS identified as of the ill-fated AirAsia Flight 8501, is seen in the waters of the Java Sea, Indonesia. Divers and an unmanned underwater vehicle spotted the tail of the missing AirAsia plane in the Java Sea on Wednesday, the first confirmed sighting of any major wreckage 11 days after Flight 8501 disappeared with the passengers and crew members on board. (AP Photo/BASARNAS)

In this undated underwater photo released by Indonesia鈥檚 National Search And Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, the part of the wreckage that BASARNAS identified as of the ill-fated AirAsia Flight 8501, is seen in the waters of the Java Sea, Indonesia. Divers are trying to find the plane鈥檚 black boxes which are expected to give answers to questions about why the plane crashed. AP

PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia 鈥� Indonesian authorities said Sunday strong signals were emanating from the crucial black box recorders of an AirAsia plane that crashed into the sea two weeks ago, killing all 162 people on board.

Military divers were trying to follow the pings to the boxes, believed to be on the floor of the Java Sea about 30 meters (100 feet) underwater, S.B Supriyadi, a director with the National Search and Rescue Agency told AFP.

The hunt came after the mangled tail of the Airbus jet was lifted from the sea on Saturday.

鈥淭he ping was detected about one kilometre (0.6 miles) east of the tail,鈥� Supriyadi told AFP at the search headquarters of Panglakun Bun.

The Indonesian meteorological agency has said stormy weather likely caused the Airbus A320-200 to crash.

But a definitive answer is impossible without the black boxes, which should contain the pilots鈥� final words as well as various flight data.

Supriyadi and other officials involved in the search said they were confident the pings were from the black boxes, describing the signals as strong.

Supriyadi said an object believed to be the main body of the plane had also been detected close to the area from where the pings were emanating.

鈥淲e are now trying to check by sending our divers,鈥� he added.

The search efforts, which have involved US, Chinese and other foreign naval ships, has recovered just 48 bodies.

Supriyadi said many of the bodies were believed to be trapped in the cabin, so reaching that part of the wreckage was also a top priority.

All but seven of those on board were Indonesian.

The non-Indonesians were three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman 鈥� co-pilot Remi Plesel.

黑料社