Recorder Retrieved From The Ocean Floor, Search Continues For CVR

Divers have recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) from AirAsia flight QZ8501, which went down December 28th in the Java Sea, but the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) is still missing, according to authorities.

Bloomberg News reports that Indonesia's search and rescue agency head F.H. Bambang Sulistyo told reporters Monday that the FDR has been retrieved from the ocean floor. The device was found about 100 feet below the surface of the ocean in the debris of the plane. The search team used balloons to lift the wreckage it has found from the bottom of the Java Sea.

The plane went down with 162 people on board.

The CVR has not yet been located, according to the report. The wreckage was located using side-scan sonar on January 7th. There were storms along the airplane's route of flight, and the pilot reportedly had requested a higher altitude to clear the weather, but that request was reportedly delayed because of other traffic at higher altitudes. Other aircraft were apparently able to transit the area without any problems associated with the weather. It has also been reported that Indonesian authorities had not authorized AirAsia to fly the route on the day the airplane went down.

(Image from file)

FMI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Transportation_Safety_Committee