Bodies of Two AirAsia Plane Crash Victim Being Identified

Surabaya, East Java (Antara) -- The bodies of two victims of the AirAsia QZ8501 plane crash have been taken to Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Surabaya, East Java, for identification. The chief of the identification team, Senior Commissioner Budiyono, said here on Wednesday that they are still in the process of identifying the male and female bodies. "We received the bodies at 4 p. m., and 15 doctors immediately began the task of identifying them. The results will later be matched with the information provided by the families of the victims to the medical team," he stated. Budiyono added that the two bodies that had been transported to the hospital were in good condition and still recognizable enough to make identifying them easier, although some parts had decomposed due to prolonged exposure to sea water. He further noted that he expected the identification process to be completed within three days, in accordance with international standards. Moreover, Chief of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Vice Marshal F. H. Bambang Soelistio confirmed that two bodies had been taken to Surabaya for identification. He pointed out that the SAR team had, so far, been able to locate seven bodies but has yet to track down the fuselage. (*) Reporting by Slamet Agus Sudarmojo