Air France 447 Update!

On June 1, 2009, Air France flight 447, bound for Paris, France, went down in the Atlantic ocean, hours after departing from Rio de Janeiro. Here’s the latest information about the recovery of the bodies, aircraft, and the mystery that surrounds the disaster.

Evidence Recovered

So far, 50 bodies have been recovered. There are still 178 bodies that are missing. The names of the recovered have not been released.
Roughly 400 pieces of debris has been recovered. Among the recovered debris are a large chunk of the stabilizer from the aircraft’s tail, wiring, an airplane seat, a boarding pass, and some personal belongings.

Evidence That Has Not Been Recovered

The flight data recorder and the voice recorder has yet to be recovered. These two items, if recovered, might provide investigators with a lot of information as to why the plane went down.

The Search for The Black Boxes

There is roughly 12 days until the black boxes stop emitting their locator signals. Once the signal is gone, the chances of finding the box will virtually disappear.
There are a number of people and sophisticated equipment being used to try to detect the locator signals from the black boxes. The French nuclear sub, the Emeraude, which is equipped with high-tech sonar equipment, is listening for the signals. Also assisting in the search for the signals is a U.S. Navy underwater listening device that can detect the pinging sound from the black boxes at a depth of 20,000 feet (6,096 meters). The French research vessel, the Pourquoi Pas, is ready to retrieve the black boxes if they are ever found.

Analyst of the Evidence

Autopsies that have been performed on the recovered bodies revealed multiple fractures on the passengers’ legs, hips, and arms. These fractures indicate that plane might have come apart in the air as opposed to breaking apart when it hit the water.
Large pieces of the plane that were recovered also suggest that a mid-air break up occurred.
The bodies that have been recovered are not burned, which suggests that there wasn’t an explosion . Although the bodies might provide clues, it’s unlikely that they will indicate the cause of the accident.
The remains of the crash that have been recovered out of the Atlantic were flown to the island of Fernando de Noronha, 400 miles away from the crash site. From there, the recovered remnants will be transported to the mainland town of Recife for further analysis. A French technician in Recife is analyzing the recovered evidence and will determine whether or not the debris will be taken to France or remain in Brazil for assessment.

When Will The Search End?

The search will continue at least until June 25. Officials have started meeting every other day to discuss when to officially end the search. The decision to end the search will depend on whether they’re still finding additional clues.
The waters are warm, around 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius), which means that bodies are more likely to float.