Syed Umar Ariff
PANGKALAN BUN (Central Kalimantan): Indonesian search and rescue authority is confident that the AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ8501 had crashed in the seas of Kumai Gulf.
Pangkalan Bun SAR director S.B. Supriyandi said this was based on the bodies and debris found floating to the east of the gulf, following the direction of wind and ocean currents.
Kumai Gulf is located in the northwest of the Sector 12 Grid.
"Yes, we believe that it is in the waters of Kumai Gulf. I am confident that is where the wreckage can be found," Supriyandi told a Press conference today.
However, he said the coordinates of the wreckage could not be determined.
Nevertheless, two Indonesian warships have been deployed to the area some 100 nautical miles from Pangkalan Bun shores.
"The ships will be searching for the blackbox. Let us pray for a fair weather to accompany the search teams," said Supriyandi.
He also said since Tuesday, 22 bodies from the crash have been recovered. Eighteen have been brought to shores while the remaining four are expected to be brought to Pangkalan Bun latest by tonight.