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| Brazil to begin crash bodies ID | Brazil to begin crash bodies ID |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The first 16 bodies recovered from the scene of the Air France crash in the Atlantic ocean have been flown to the Brazilian city of Recife. | The first 16 bodies recovered from the scene of the Air France crash in the Atlantic ocean have been flown to the Brazilian city of Recife. |
| The bodies were taken to the city's mortuary, where the process of identification will be carried out. | |
| A French nuclear submarine has joined the hunt for the data recorders - which would provide clues to the crash. | A French nuclear submarine has joined the hunt for the data recorders - which would provide clues to the crash. |
| French investigators say no link has yet been established between the crash and the aircraft's speed monitors. | French investigators say no link has yet been established between the crash and the aircraft's speed monitors. |
| See a map of the plane's route Speculation about what caused the Airbus 330 to come down between Rio de Janeiro and Paris on 1 June has so far focused on the possibility that the airspeed sensors, known as pitot probes, were not working. | |
| The plane is known to have registered inconsistent speed readings just before it crashed in turbulent weather. | The plane is known to have registered inconsistent speed readings just before it crashed in turbulent weather. |
| 'Different mission' | 'Different mission' |
| So far, only 41 bodies have been recovered from the area where Air France flight 447 - with 228 people on board - is known to have come down. | So far, only 41 bodies have been recovered from the area where Air France flight 447 - with 228 people on board - is known to have come down. |
| Debris from the plane has also been found some 1,000km (600 miles) north-east of the Fernando de Noronha islands, which are about 320km off the north-eastern coast of Brazil. | Debris from the plane has also been found some 1,000km (600 miles) north-east of the Fernando de Noronha islands, which are about 320km off the north-eastern coast of Brazil. |
| In pictures: Victims back in Brazil | In pictures: Victims back in Brazil |
| The first 16 bodies were flown to the temporary morgue in Recife from Fernando de Noronha on Wednesday. | The first 16 bodies were flown to the temporary morgue in Recife from Fernando de Noronha on Wednesday. |
| Investigators hope they can use dental records and DNA tests to confirm identities. DNA samples have been taken from relatives of passengers to help with the process. | Investigators hope they can use dental records and DNA tests to confirm identities. DNA samples have been taken from relatives of passengers to help with the process. |
| Meanwhile, the French nuclear submarine - the Emeraude - has joined Brazil's naval and air forces in the hunt for the flight's data recorders. | Meanwhile, the French nuclear submarine - the Emeraude - has joined Brazil's naval and air forces in the hunt for the flight's data recorders. |
| They have a large and remote area of ocean to search and are in a race against time as the "black boxes" emit a locator signal for only about 30 days. | They have a large and remote area of ocean to search and are in a race against time as the "black boxes" emit a locator signal for only about 30 days. |
| The recorders could also be up to 6,100m (20,000ft) deep on the bed of the Atlantic. | The recorders could also be up to 6,100m (20,000ft) deep on the bed of the Atlantic. |
| The Emeraude has sonar equipment on board and is expected to be able to cover an area of about 26 sq km (10 sq miles) each day. | The Emeraude has sonar equipment on board and is expected to be able to cover an area of about 26 sq km (10 sq miles) each day. |
| "The submarine's main function is to search for the recorders," Brig Gen Ramon Cardoso of Brazil's Aviation Authority said. | "The submarine's main function is to search for the recorders," Brig Gen Ramon Cardoso of Brazil's Aviation Authority said. |
| "It will not be taking part in the search for bodies or debris." | "It will not be taking part in the search for bodies or debris." |
| The US is also joining the search, sending two sophisticated listening devices, which will be deployed on two vessels hired by France. They will be towed in a grid pattern across the search area. | The US is also joining the search, sending two sophisticated listening devices, which will be deployed on two vessels hired by France. They will be towed in a grid pattern across the search area. |
| If the aircraft's two black boxes are located, a mini-submarine called the Nautile will be sent down to retrieve them. The vessel, which has a crew of three and is about 8m long, is the same one which explored the wreck of the Titanic. | If the aircraft's two black boxes are located, a mini-submarine called the Nautile will be sent down to retrieve them. The vessel, which has a crew of three and is about 8m long, is the same one which explored the wreck of the Titanic. |
| 'Airworthy' | 'Airworthy' |
| France's Investigation and Analysis Bureau (BEA), which is in charge of the technical side of the inquiry, on Thursday played down speculation that a problem with the airspeed sensors caused the crash. | France's Investigation and Analysis Bureau (BEA), which is in charge of the technical side of the inquiry, on Thursday played down speculation that a problem with the airspeed sensors caused the crash. |
| SEARCH FOR FLIGHT AF 447 1 June: Contact lost with plane over mid-Atlantic2 June: First debris spotted from the air includes an airline seat. Brazilian defence minister says debris is from missing plane3 June: More debris spotted, including a 7m-wide chunk of metal. Fuel slick seen on surface4 June: Recovered buoys and pallet said to be from plane. Officials later retract statement6 June: First two bodies, plus suitcase and backpack found, along with seat from the plane7 June: Fourteen additional bodies recovered, taking total to 168 June: Large tail fin section found Timeline of Flight AF 447 Air disasters timeline Mystery of Air France flight Challenge of deep-sea debris | SEARCH FOR FLIGHT AF 447 1 June: Contact lost with plane over mid-Atlantic2 June: First debris spotted from the air includes an airline seat. Brazilian defence minister says debris is from missing plane3 June: More debris spotted, including a 7m-wide chunk of metal. Fuel slick seen on surface4 June: Recovered buoys and pallet said to be from plane. Officials later retract statement6 June: First two bodies, plus suitcase and backpack found, along with seat from the plane7 June: Fourteen additional bodies recovered, taking total to 168 June: Large tail fin section found Timeline of Flight AF 447 Air disasters timeline Mystery of Air France flight Challenge of deep-sea debris |
| "There is as yet no link between the pitot and the causes of the accident," a BEA spokeswoman was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying. | "There is as yet no link between the pitot and the causes of the accident," a BEA spokeswoman was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying. |
| Earlier, Air France's Managing Director Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said he was "not convinced" that faulty speed monitors were to blame. | Earlier, Air France's Managing Director Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said he was "not convinced" that faulty speed monitors were to blame. |
| He was responding to criticism after it emerged that Air France had received replacement pitot probes for similar aircraft three days before the crash. | He was responding to criticism after it emerged that Air France had received replacement pitot probes for similar aircraft three days before the crash. |
| He said Air France had ordered the replacements in late April after pilots noted a loss of airspeed data in flight on Airbus A330 and A340 models. | He said Air France had ordered the replacements in late April after pilots noted a loss of airspeed data in flight on Airbus A330 and A340 models. |
| But the incidents were "not catastrophic" and planes with the old pitots were considered airworthy, he said. | But the incidents were "not catastrophic" and planes with the old pitots were considered airworthy, he said. |
| However, Mr Gourgeon said, a programme to replace the external sensors would be stepped up all the same "because we know that during this accident there was a problem with measuring speed". | However, Mr Gourgeon said, a programme to replace the external sensors would be stepped up all the same "because we know that during this accident there was a problem with measuring speed". |
| The recovery of the black boxes is seen as key to understanding what happened, but Mr Gourgeon said even without them more information should be known about the crash in a week. | The recovery of the black boxes is seen as key to understanding what happened, but Mr Gourgeon said even without them more information should be known about the crash in a week. |
| "We will know much more, I think, after the autopsies allow us to better understand the technical causes of death and when the debris have been examined by experts," he said. | "We will know much more, I think, after the autopsies allow us to better understand the technical causes of death and when the debris have been examined by experts," he said. |
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