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More ships dispatched to join AirAsia search operation
The Indonesian Navy on Sunday dispatched two more warships, KRI Usman Harun-359 and KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368, to join the search for AirAsia QZ8501, which crashed into the waters of Karimata Strait, off Kalimantan, on Dec
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T
he Indonesian Navy on Sunday dispatched two more warships, KRI Usman Harun-359 and KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368, to join the search for AirAsia QZ8501, which crashed into the waters of Karimata Strait, off Kalimantan, on Dec. 28.
Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Ade Supandi said the two warships, which were part of the Navy's Eastern Region Fleet Command's (Koarmatim) naval fleet, had added to the presence of the Command's warships in the AirAsia search operation site after it previously dispatched three warships, namely KRI Bung Tomo-357, KRI Yos Sudarso-353 and KRI Pulau Rengat-711, from Koarmatim's naval base in Surabaya, East Java, on Dec. 29.
Two further warships ' KRI Sultan Hasanuddin-366 and KRI Sungai Gerong-906 ' had been dispatched from their operation areas, he added.
'As of today, seven Koarmatim warships have joined the AirAsia search operation. In total, the Indonesian Navy has dispatched 15 warships belonging to Koarmatim, the Western Region Fleet Command [Koarmabar] and the Navy's Sea Military Command [Kolinlamil],' Ade said as quoted by Antara news agency during the dispatch ceremony of KRI- Usman Harun-359 and KRI Frans Kaisiepo-368 at the Koarmatim naval base.
He said the dispatch of the two vessels was not only to strengthen the Navy's military resources in the search operation, but also because several warships deployed, including KRI Bung Tomo-357, would be withdrawn to the naval base.
Ade said the Navy's priorities were to rescue, to find and to recover victims as soon as possible.
'For the recovery process, the Navy has an Underwater Rescue Agency with the capacity to recover the wreckage of a vessel or aircraft that has sunk to the bottom of the sea,' he said.
According to official data, Koarmatim's warships have managed to find and recover a number of bodies and debris from the aircraft.
It was reported that KRI Bung Tomo-357 found five bodies, an emergency exit, a blue suitcase, an oxygen tube, pieces from the luggage rack, food and spilled avtur.
Meanwhile, KRI Yos Sudarso-353 recovered four bodies and one body was found by KRI Sultan Hasanuddin-366.
KRI Usman Harun-359, a multirole light frigate produced by BAE Systems Maritime Naval Ship UK, is the Navy's newest warship and was launched on Dec. 4. (ebf)(+++)
