REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, PANGKALAN BUN/SURABAYA -- Thirty-four bodies of the mostly Indonesian passengers and crew of AirAsia flight QZ8501 have so far been recovered, including some still strapped in their seats. Many more may be still trapped in the fuselage of the aircraft.

"This big part of the plane, we still have hope that victims are still inside the body of the plane," the head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency Fransiskus Bambang Soelistiyo said, adding that he was referring to one of the five objects found.

The crash was the first fatal accident suffered by the AirAsia budget group, whose Indonesian affiliate flies from at least 15 destinations across the sprawling archipelago. The airline has come under pressure from Indonesian authorities, who have suspended its Surabaya to Singapore operations saying the carrier only had a license to fly the route on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Indonesia AirAsia said it would co-operate with the transport ministry while it investigated the license. A joint statement from Singapore's civil aviation authority (CAAS) and Changi Airport Group said that AirAsia had the necessary approvals to operate a daily flight between Surabaya and Singapore.

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