AirAsia QZ8501: Plane's emergency locator transmitter found

Rescue personnel unload a casket with the remains of a victim of the ill-fated Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501 at Makassar hospital. - AFP

JAKARTA: The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) from the Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501 plane has reportedly been found in waters near Mamuju, West Sulawesi, during search operations conducted in the area.

Mamuju National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) head, Muhammad Rizal, said as of Monday, the joint search and rescue (SAR) team had found seven bodies, all suspected to have been passengers on board the QZ8501 that crashed into the waters of the Karimata Strait, Central Kalimantan, on Dec 28,

All recovered bodies have been sent to Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya, East Java, for identification.

Muhammad said that in addition to the bodies, locals had also found objects thought to be sections of the crashed aircraft, including seats, aircraft cabin, fibre-made interiors, as well as a box with antennas with the words "emergency locator transmitter" emblazoned on it.

"On Sunday, a local fisherman found the ELT in waters near a beach in Mamuju regency. However, it seems the ELT is no longer functioning," said Muhammad.

The Basarnas head added that during the search on Sunday, one body was found not far from the Tubo Sendana district beach in Majene regency, West Sulawesi.

The SAR team suspected the victim was a child, but could not be certain due to the severity of the crash and the time that had passed since the incident.

Basarnas has sent the body to Bhayangkara Hospital in Surabaya to confirm if the victim was a passenger on Indonesia AirAsia QZ8501.

The ELT would be able to show QZ8501's final position before it crashed into the Karimata Strait waters, but this may no longer be possible due to its damaged state.

Makassar Basarnas head Roki Azikin said the ELT, together with pieces of the aircraft and other objects, had been taken to the joint SAR team post in Majene regency before being sent to Makassar and Surabaya.

"We will hand it over the ELT to the National Transportation Safety Committee for an examination to confirm it was part of the Indonesia AirAsia aircraft," he said, adding that the search operation had been expanded from Majene and Mamuju to Pinrang and Pare-Pare in South Sulawesi. - The Jakarta Post/ANN