First Attempt To Lift AirAsia Fuselage Fails

A first attempt to lift the fuselage of the crashed AirAsia Airbus A320 to the surface of the Java Sea failed today, according to officials.

The BBC reports that "ropes around the fuselage snapped."

According to the BBC:

"[Seven] metres (22ft) from the surface, strong currents and the sharp edges of the emergency door of the aircraft cut the rope connecting the bag to the fuselage.

"Navy Rear Admiral Widodo, who is overseeing the operation from a nearby ship, told the BBC divers had to pad the sharp edges with rubber material and try again. However, strong underwater currents have delayed the second attempt."

The failed effort set back efforts to recover more bodies from the wreck of AirAsia Flight QZ8501, which went down on Dec. 27 in bad weather with the loss of all 162 aboard.

The Associated Press says four bodies were discovered where divers were working to try to lift the fuselage.

The plane's flight-data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered last week and a preliminary crash report is expected next week.