The black boxes that were onboard MERPATI NUSANTARA Flight 8968, the Xian MA60 that crashed off the coast of Kaimana, Indonesia, on Saturday afternoon, have been recovered from the wreckage. Officials said they were found at a depth of about 50 feet, about 500 meters from the runway threshold. The Xian went down in poor weather, after service from Sorong's Domine Eduard Osok Airport from where it had departed at 12:45pm, Indonesia time. While the aircraft was expected to land at 1:55pm, the Indonesian Transport Ministry said it had to wait for an improvement in the "very bad" weather at Kaimana Airport, which included "heavy rain and strong winds". The aircraft was inbound from the NW and had been intending to land on runway 01. "The procedures for landing at the Airport are unique," said the ministry. They said that flights arriving from Sorong must cross the mountains to the left of the runway, then make a left turn in preparation for the approach. The Pilot's final contact with air traffic control showed that the aircraft was ready to land. "But afterwards it lost direct communication," said the ministry, adding that the aircraft subsequently crashed into the sea, about 600m from the runway, at 2:05pm. All 27 passengers and crew onboard Flight 8968 were killed in the crash. Officials said today that they have recovered 24 bodies, including all 6 crew members, and operations continue today to retrieve the final 3 victims. Some of the wreckage is located near the waters surface, pictured above, while other parts resting on the ocean floor.
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