AirAsia passengers might have drowned
Experts believe the ill-fated AirAsia flight QZ8501 may have made an emergency landing on water only to be overwhelmed by high seas before sinking.
Evidence found so far pointing to this theory includes the discovery of an emergency exit door and an inflatable slide, which may suggest the evacuation process had started.
The main fuselage, resting on the seabed, is also thought to be largely intact.
Passengers may have been waiting for flight crew to inflate a life raft when the plane was hit by high waves, says former transport minister Jusman Syafii Djamal.
"High waves may have hit the plane, the nose, and sunk the plane," he said.
Another aviation expert says the experienced captain, a former air force fighter pilot, brought the plane down onto the water which did not have a destructive impact.
"The pilot managed to land it on the sea’s surface," said Dudi Sudibyo, a senior editor of aviation magazine Angkasa.
"The emergency locator transmitter would work on impact, be that land or sea, and my analysis is it didn’t work because there was no major impact during landing,"
The plane which departed from Surabaya carrying 162 people to Singapore disappeared en route and so far 9 bodies have been recovered
Full details and the cause of the crash will remain a mystery until the black box flight recorder is recovered, which investigators said could take a week.
Officials have confirmed that debris and bodies found in the sea near Borneo are from the missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501.
Bambang Soelistyo, who is leading the search operation, told a press conference a shadow was seen under water which appeared to be in the shape of a plane.
The news conference, shown live on Indonesian TV and watched by relatives of missing passengers, also showed bodies floating on the water.
Soelistyo said all resources were now being sent to the area where the debris was found.
At least 30 ships, 15 aircraft and seven helicopters are taking part in the search operation.
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said he was devastated and tweeted: "My heart is filled with sadness for all the families involved in QZ 8501. On behalf of AirAsia my condolences."
Flight QZ 8501 was carrying 137 adult passengers, 17 children and one infant, plus two pilots and five crew.
Most of the passengers were Indonesian but also included a Malaysian, a Singaporean, three South Koreans and one UK national, confirmed to be Mr Choi Chi Man.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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