QZ8501: Search and recovery operations likely extended - BASARNAS chief

AirAsia flight QZ8501 search and recovery operations is likely extended between one and two weeks, said Indonesia search and rescue agency (BASARNAS) chief, Bambang Soelistyo.

Indonesia news portal, ANTARA News stated that he will meet with the next-of-kins of the ill-fated flight before the search mission officially ends.

The date of the salvage operation will be determined after a meeting with the next--of-kins on Tuesday.

The report also stated that the meeting will entail the development on the search and rescue mission.

To date, said Soelistyo, 59 bodies have not been retrieved since the Airbus 320-200 crashed into the Java Sea on Dec 28, last year.

On Jan 7, which was the 11th day of the search, the search entered a new phase when the tail was found and BASARNAS' focus switched to finding the black box – though the search for bodies continued, Soelistyo added.

Soelistyo and President Joko Widodo will meet next week to discuss matters pertaining to the tail end of the search and recovery mission.

Meanwhile, AFP reported Saturday the mangled wreckage, the largest part of the plane retrieved, was pulled from the sea Friday and loaded onto a ship, with a wing still intact.

PHOTO GALLERIES:

QZ8501: JET DEBRIS FOUND

QZ8501: MORE BODIES, WRECKAGE RETRIEVED