Jakarta: Rescuers plan to start lifting the AirAsia jet’s tail from the seabed in the Java Sea using a balloon on Friday, a top Indonesian official said on Thursday, raising hopes of retrieving the black box crucial to solve the mystery of the fatal crash.
Divers braved high waves to reach the Airbus A320-200’s tail, expected to contain the crucial data recorders that could unravel the mystery of the December 28 crash, but failed to penetrate the wreckage due to strong currents and poor visibility. “The weather prevented the operation to lift the tail on Thursday,” search and rescue agency coordinator Supriyadi told reporters in Pangkalan Bun, the town closest to the site.
“The operation using (a) balloon to lift the tail will start on Friday,” he added. Persistent bad weather with strong currents, huge waves and high winds delayed efforts to reach the fuselage believed to contain remaining victims besides the black box.