Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil confirmed the departure of the President in the Presidential Palace.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo left Jakarta for Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan Province, and Surabaya, East Java Province, following the findings of bodies and debris of missing AirAsia QZ8501 aircraft by the Search and Rescue Team on Tuesday.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Sofyan Djalil confirmed the departure of the President in the Presidential Palace, here, Tuesday.

Previously, Chief of National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) Vice Marshal F.H. Bambang Soelistyo confirmed on Tuesday that bodies and debris of missing AirAsia QZ8501 aircraft have been spotted at the Karimata Straits, west of Kalimantan Island.

"Today, at 10:05 am local time, CN-235 aircraft of the Indonesian Air Force spotted debris floating on the waters," Bambang Soelistyo said earlier.

Three bodies of passengers or crew members of the ill-fated plane were evacuated by Indonesian warship KRI Bung Tomo, out of six bodies that have been spotted.

At 11:07 am local time, C-130 aircraft of the Indonesian Air Force spotted another metal object at the water.

The Hercules aircraft also spotted a shadow, presumably resembling a shape of aircraft under the water.

Soelistyo said KRI Bung Tomo at 01:50 pm spotted an object presumably an emergency exit door of an aircraft.

The ship assisted with a helicopter, then conducted search operation and evacuate the presumably emergency exit door.

"I confirm 95 percent this is the location of suspected debris of the aircraft," Soelistyo said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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