KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 8): The National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) of Indonesia has confirmed that the search and rescue (SAR) team retrieved a visual confirmation of the tail part of QZ 8501’s aircraft, according to AirAsia.

In a statement Jan 7 on behalf of Indonesia AirAsia (IAA), AirAsia said the visual confirmation was made following underwater documentation of the aircraft’s tail and small wreckage, which showed the plane’s registration number (PK-AXC), captured by the SAR team’s sea divers.

It said the tail part was found in the additional focus search area (about 30 kms from the primary focus area).

It added that the SAR operation was still underway as the weather is reported to be clear with good underwater visibility for the divers to continue observation. 

IAA Chief Executive Sunu Widyatmoko said the latest finding since eleven days after the flight went missing was a major breakthrough.

IAA said following the latest finding, BASARNAS confirmed that the later SAR operation would be focused in this area to see if there were any trapped remains that must be recovered as well as the continued search for the black box.

To date, BASARNAS confirmed to have recovered a total of 40 remains of which 24 remains have been identified by the Disaster Victim Identification Police Department of Indonesia (DVI POLRI) and 16 remains are still being identified.

On Jan 7, BASARNAS also confirmed to have recovered one more remain from the search area.

The remain is still in Pangkalan Bun, waiting to be transported to Surabaya for further identification process.