PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia — Search crews have now recovered 30 bodies from the AirAsia crash, including five who were found still strapped in their seats, Indonesian officials said.
Col. Yayan Sofiyan, commander of the warship Bung Tomo, told MetroTV that the five were among seven bodies retrieved from the Java Sea and taken to an Indonesian vessel Friday. Indonesian search and rescue chief Henry Bambang Soelistyo later said a total of 30 bodies have been recovered from Flight 8501.
There were 162 passengers and crew onboard the plane that went down Sunday, half-way through a flight from Indonesia to Singapore.
Witness the Tragic Aftermath of AirAsia Flight QZ8501
A crew member of an Indonesian Maritime Surveillance plane says a prayer before a search mission to look for AirAsia's Flight QZ8501 in Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Island, Indonesia on Dec. 30, 2014. Darren Whiteside—ReutersIndonesian Navy airmen search the waters for debris from AirAsia Flight QZ8501 in a navy fixed wing patrol craft near Bangka Island, Indonesia on Dec. 30, 2014. Ed Wray—Getty ImagesAn Indonesian woman breaks down while holding a family picture of passengers onboard the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, outside the crisis-centre set up at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Indonesia on Dec. 29, 2014. Manan Vastsyayana—AFP/Getty ImagesFamily members of passengers onboard the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 attend a briefing inside the crisis-centre at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Indonesia on Dec. 29, 2014.Manan Vastsyayana—AFP/Getty ImagesIndonesian Army personnel read a map during a search and rescue operation for missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, over the waters of the Java Sea on Dec. 29, 2014.Juni Kriswanto—AFP/Getty ImagesMembers of the Indonesian air force carry items retrieved from the Java sea during search and rescue operations for the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, in Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia on Dec. 30, 2014.Bay Ismoyo—AFP/Getty ImagesIndonesian President Joko Widodo (C) addresses the media after meeting with family members of passengers onboard the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501, at the Juanda International Airport in Surabaya, Indonesia on Dec. 30, 2014. Manan Vastsyayana—AFP/Getty ImagesRelatives of passengers on AirAsia flight QZ 8501 react to the news of debris and bodies being found, in Surabaya, Indonesia on Dec. 30, 2014. Robertus Pudyanto—Getty ImagesAn Indonesian woman lays flowers as people pray for passengers of the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 in Malang, East Java, Indonesia on Dec. 30, 2014. Aman Rochman—AFP/Getty Images
