AirAsia plane found: Salvage operation continues as bodies are pulled from sea

Already at least six bodies have been pulled from the water along with luggage and an emergency slide from the plane.

Earlier in the day family members of those on flight 8501 were seen collapsing as footage from an Indonesian TV station showed the body of one of the victims of the disaster.

The low-cost carrier vanished Sunday halfway through a two-hour flight between Surabaya, Indonesia and Singapore after encountering storm clouds, sparking an international hunt with dozens of planes, ships and helicopters.

On the third day of searching, the first signs of the jet were found in shallow, aqua waters only about 10 miles from the plane’s last known coordinates: A life jacket, an emergency exit door.

Parts of the jetliner’s interior, including an oxygen tank, were brought to the nearest town, Pangkalan Bun. Another find included a bright blue plastic suitcase, completely unscratched.

‘I know the plane has crashed, but I cannot believe my brother and his family are dead,’ said Ifan Joko, who lost seven relatives, three of them children, as they traveled to Singapore to ring in the New Year. ‘… We still pray they are alive.’

First Admiral Sigit Setiayanta, Naval Aviation Center commander at Surabaya Air Force base, told reporters six corpses were spotted about 100 miles from Central Kalimantan province.

Rescue workers were lowered on ropes from a hovering helicopter to retrieve bodies. Efforts were hindered by 6ft waves and strong winds, National Search and Rescue Director SB Supriyadi said, but the first body was later picked up by a navy ship. Officials said as many as six others followed, but they disagreed about the exact number.