REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Chief of Navy Admiral Ade Supandi here on Tuesday bestowed awards on some 108 personnel for their contribution during the evacuation of AirAsia QZ8501's victims in Karimata Strait, Central Kalimantan, in January.

"This is an appreciation for their efforts in evacuating the victims and the wreckage of the ill-fated aircraft," remarked Ade during a military ceremony at the Navy's Western Region Armada Command (Armabar) headquarters in Central Jakarta.

Among the 108 personnel receiving the award from the Navy Chief, 83 personnel belong to the Indonesian Navy, 18 personnel are commanders of Indonesian Navy ships, one from the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT), two crew members of MV crest Onyx ship, and two personnel from the KN Jedayat ship.

The award was symbolically handed over to Commander of Indonesian Navy ship KRI Bung Tomo Colonel Yayan Sofyan, Major Profs De Gradmen of Marines, and Rajab Malawat from MV Crest Onyx ship.

The AirAsia Airbus A320-200, carrying 162 people, had gone missing on the morning of December 28 after losing contact with air traffic control on its way from Surabaya, East Java, to Singapore.

Flight QZ8501 lost contact after the pilot sought permission to ascend to 38 thousand feet from 32 thousand feet to avoid turbulent weather over the sea between Bangka Belitung and West Kalimantan. After weeks of joint search operations conducted by the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), Indonesian Military and other related authorities, the wreckage of the plane was found in Karimata Strait, Central Kalimantan.

Some 72 of the 100 retrieved bodies of the passengers of the ill-fated AirAsia flight have been identified.

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