Body of sole Malaysian victim in Indonesia AirAsia crash identified

Indonesian rescuers carrying a coffin of a victim of crashed Flight QZ8501 into a plane in Pangkalan Bun airport, Central Borneo, Indonesia, 08 February 2015. - EPA

JAKARTA: The body of the only Malaysian passenger in the Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash has been identified by Indonesian authorities. 

Malaysian ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Seri Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said Sii Chung Huei's body was found a few days ago but was only confirmed on Monday to be that of his after DNA testing. 

Sii's body had been sent to Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya after it was found by the Indonesian search team. 

"The embassy here will arrange for Sii's remains to be handed over to his family members tomorrow (Tuesday) in Surabaya before the remains will be flown back to Sarawak on a Royal Malaysian Air Force aircraft on Wednesday," Zahrain said.  

Zahrain said he would personally meet Sii's family members who had long been waiting in Surabaya and an embassy officer would be accompanying his remains on the flight to Sarawak.  

Sii, 56, a businessman from Kuching but based in Jakarta was on the ill-fated aircraft en route to Singapore from Surabaya on Dec 28, last year, when it crashed into the Java Sea. 

There were 162 people on board but so far, 100 bodies have been found by the search authorities, who also found the plane's black box two weeks ago. 

The search operation by Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Body (Basarnas) is continuing.  -  BERNAMA