More than 40 bodies retrieved in QZ8501 search, says Indonesian Navy

Search and rescue workers load body bags onto a flight to Kalimantan today. Indonesian rescuers saw bodies and luggage off the coast of the Borneo island, where bodies and debris were found. – Reuters, December 30, 2014.An Indonesian warship has recovered more than 40 bodies from the Java Sea today in the search for AirAsia flight QZ8501, a navy spokesman told AFP.

"Based on the navy radio, it has been reported that the warship Bung Tomo has retrieved 40 bodies and the number is growing. They are very busy now," Manahan Simorangkir said.

The six bodies sighted earlier have also been brought to Tanjung Pandan in Belitung as the navy ship transporting them could not enter the river leading to Pangkalan Bun on Kalimantan, reported TODAYOnline.com.

The bodies and plane debris were found earlier this afternoon in the Karimata Strait between Kalimantan and Sumatra, off Belitung island where the plane's last radar contact with air traffic control was made before it disappeared.

Debris spotted earlier in an aerial search over that sector saw items resembling an airplane emergency slide and a plane door in the sea.

Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) chief  Bambang Soelistyo had also announced that a search plane had spotted a "shadow" on the seabed, a possible indication of the crashed A320 jet.

The depth of water where the plane is believed to have crashed is said to be only 40 metres deep, CNN had reported.

Flight QZ8501 was carrying 155 passengers on board, including 16 children and one infant, and seven crew members.

The passengers comprise 149 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian and one Briton.

The crew comprises six Indonesians and a French national, who is the First Officer.

The plane's last contact with air traffic control was to make a request to climb to higher altitudes to avoid a storm. – AFP