Expert claims AirAsia aircraft 'broke up when it hit water, rather than in air'

A former pilot and chairman of consultancy firm Strategic Aviation Solutions has claimed that debris of the AirAsia flight QZ8501 that appears to be fairly intact and some fully clothed bodies suggest that the "aircraft broke up when it hit the water, rather than in the air".

Tatang Zaenudin, an official with the search and rescue agency said that they recovered four bodies and one of them was wearing a life jacket.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has said that his priority is retrieving the bodies, reported Stuff.co.nz.

Indonesian rescuers have recovered various bits of debris including passenger luggage and bodies floating in the water.

Blood samples from bereaved relatives to extract DNA for identification purposes are being taken by doctors.

At least two of the bodies have been unloaded from an Indonesian naval command ship called the Bung Tomo to the airport in Pangkalan Bun.

AirAsia flight QZ8501, flying from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore with 162 people on board, lost contact with air traffic control on Sunday.