SAR Agency Chief Confirms Missing Airplane's Debris Spotted

Jakarta (Antara) - Chief of National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) F.H. Bambang Soelistyo confirmed on Tuesday that bodies and debris suspected of the missing AirAsia QZ8501 aircraft have been spotted at the Karimata Straits, west of Kalimantan Island. "Today, at 10:05 am local time, CN-235 aircraft of the Indonesian Air Force spotted debris floating on the waters," Bambang Soelistyo said here on a press conference, Tuesday. Three bodies were reportedly evacuated by Indonesian warship KRI Bung Tomo, out of six bodies that have been spotted. At 11:07 am local time, C-130 aircraft of the Indonesian Air Force spotted another metal object at the water. The Hercules aircraft also spotted a shadow, presumably resembling a shape of aircraft under the water. Soelistyo said KRI Bung Tomo at 01:50 pm spotted an object presumably an emergency exit door of an aircraft. The ship assisted with a helicopter, then conducted search operation and evacuate the presumably emergency exit door. "I confirm 95 percent this is the location of suspected debris of the aircraft," Soelistyo said. (*)