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Russia aims to find AirAsia black box
Meet the Russians: A Russian search and rescue team arrive onboard a Russian Be-200 amphibious aircraft in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kaliamantan, on Saturday, to take part in search operations for Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501
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Meet the Russians: A Russian search and rescue team arrive onboard a Russian Be-200 amphibious aircraft in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kaliamantan, on Saturday, to take part in search operations for Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501. Recovery teams have found two big parts of AirAsia Flight 8501, which crashed into the sea last weekend with 162 people on board, Indonesia's top search official said on Saturday. (AFP/Adek Berry) (AFP/Adek Berry)
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span class="inline inline-center">Meet the Russians: A Russian search and rescue team arrive onboard a Russian Be-200 amphibious aircraft in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kaliamantan, on Saturday, to take part in search operations for Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501. Recovery teams have found two big parts of AirAsia Flight 8501, which crashed into the sea last weekend with 162 people on board, Indonesia's top search official said on Saturday. (AFP/Adek Berry)
The Russian search and rescue mission is prioritizing the search for AirAsia flight QZ8501's black box.
"Our main purpose here is to get AirAsia's black box. We will start working on Sunday," Russian deputy chef-de-mission Alexander Shilin said on Saturday in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, as quoted by Antara news agency.
He added that Russia was preparing 70 personnel with various specializations with the support of sophisticated technology and a Be-200 amphibious aircraft to find passengers, debris and the black box of the Airbus A320-200.
Speaking at a press conference at Iskandar Air Force Base in Pangkalan Bun, Shilin revealed that currently there were only 20 Russian personnel ready for the mission.
"We will bring another 20 personnel from Jakarta until the number reaches 70 or 72," he said.
He added that the amphibious aircraft was equipped with various technologies such as sonar and a small submersible vehicle, which could go as deep as 300 meters and carry 22 deep-sea divers. (nvn)
