This morning, debris found floating in the Java Sea was confirmed to be pieces of AirAsia Flight 8501, which had gone missing on Sunday. Rescuers immediately began pulling rubble and bodies from the ocean, and the search teams have spotted a shadow under the water that resembles an airplane.
The debris appeared right near the area where the plane lost contact over the weekend, and officials fear that all of the seven crew and 155 passengers onboard perished when the plane went down. Multiple international teams are headed to the area now, and because the water is only 80 to 100 feet deep scuba divers are being deployed as well.
Three bodies have been recovered thus far—none wearing life jackets—as the families of the passengers must now cope with the reality of the plane’s being discovered. AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said that “I am absolutely devastated. This is a very difficult moment for all of us at AirAsia as we await further developments of the search and rescue operations but our first priority now is the wellbeing of the family members of those onboard QZ8501.”
[via Mashable]
