Indonesian divers yesterday morning retrieved the black box from the Lion Air Boeing 737 Max 8 jet that crashed into the Java Sea with 189 people on board on Monday.
The recovery of the flight data recorder is crucial to the ongoing probe into the accident. Search and rescue efforts have not led to any survivors being found so far.
Although the recovery brings new hopes for the authorities and families who seek an adequate explanation on the cause of the crash and certainty over the fate of their loved ones, aviation experts and investigators warned it is actually just an early step in a long process.
The focus of the search is now on another black box - the cockpit voice recorder.
Police forensic experts also continue to identify the remains of bodies in 61 body bags collected so far. As of yesterday, only one victim - Ms Jannatun Cyntia Dewi, a 24-year civil servant - had been identified.
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