BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- China said on Monday that it had sent aviation experts and a rescue vessel to join the Indonesian search operation for the black boxes from the ill-fated AirAsia Flight QZ8501.
Responding to a request from Indonesia, China sent an expert team to help in the search, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said in a statement on its website without elaborating.
In a separate statement, the Ministry of Transport said the rescue ship "South Sea Rescue 101", had left the city of Haikou and was expected to arrive at the search site on Jan. 9.
Meanwhile, another vessel, "South Sea Rescue 115," is on standby, the ministry said.
The plane is believed to have crashed into the Java Sea on Dec. 28 while en route from Surabaya of Indonesia to Singapore with 162 people on board. Weather could be behind the accident, as suggested by a preliminary analysis report by Indonesia's meteorological department.
Indonesia's search and rescue teams had located a fifth large object on the seabed by Sunday, but the black boxes remain unaccounted for.
Related:
Another body, debris arrive in AirAsia search center
PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Singaporean Super Puma helicopter brought in on Sunday a newly-recoverd body and a piece of alleged debris to Indonesia's AirAsia search command post.Full Story
5th object suspected from AirAsia QZ8501 found: official
JAKARTA, Jan.4 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia search and rescue teams have located a fifth large object on the seabed, agency chief Fransiskus Bambang Soelistyo said on Sunday. Full story
Weather termed "triggering factor" behind AirAsia crash: report
JAKARTA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Weather is a factor triggering the crash of AirAsia QZ8501 flight with 162 people on board into Java sea a week ago, said Indonesia's meteorological department. Full story
