Singapore navy finds fuselage of crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 in Java Sea

The fuselage of the crashed AirAsia jet has been found, officials said Wednesday, a Singaporean navy ship on Wednesday located the main body of the AirAsia plane that crashed into the Java Sea late last month, believed to be the resting place of most of the 162 victims, ending a difficult 19-day search in the waters off Indonesia and likely paving the way for the recovery of many more bodies of passengers and crew members.

The Airbus A320 fuselage and its wings were still attached and the AirAsia motto – “Now Everyone Can Fly” was clearly visible in pictures captured by a remotely-operated vehicle from the floor of the Java Sea.

Divers on Thursday will look for scores of bodies believed to be entombed in the fuselage. Of 162 passengers and crew members aboard the flight when it crashed Dec. 28, only 50 have been recovered.

Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said the plane's body was found about 1.25 miles from where search teams located the aircraft’s tail, until now the largest piece to be recovered.