SAN DIEGO SHIP JOINS RECOVERY MISSION FOR AIRASIA FLIGHT

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By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Navy

Updated December 30, 2014

December 29, 2014 (San Diego)--The USS Sampson, a Navy ship homeported in San Diego, has joined the recovery effort for the AirAsia Flight 8501, the Pentagon has announced.  The flight went missing Sunday and  crashed into the Java Sea off Indonesia with 162 passengers and crew on board. Debris and bodies found are confirmed to be from the ill-fated flight.

The flight was traveling from Indonesia to Singapore during bad weather when communications with the plane was lost.

The USS Sampson is a destroyer with sophisticated sonar as well as two Sea Hawk helicopters designed for search and rescue, reconnaissance and searching for submarines. At least 30 ships and planes are currently aiding in the efforts.

This is the third recent loss of an airliner from southeast Asia.  One was shot down while flying over hostilities between Russian and Ukranian forces. The other, a Malaysia Airlines flight, went missing and has never been found.

 


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