MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Flight AF 447: Brazil Ends Search for bodies and wreckage

Brazil’s Air Force and Navy called off permanently a search for bodies and wreckage from the Air France airplane that crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, according to a statement posted on the Air Force’s Web site.

The “impracticality” of finding survivors or bodies led to the decision, according to the statement. The Air Force and Navy said 51 bodies and 600 airplane parts had been recovered.

The Brazilian military contributed 12 aircraft and 11 ships to the search. France, Spain and the United States also took part in the operation,

French ships are still searching for the plane’s black boxes, according to Brazil’s Air Force and Navy. The boxes may provide clues as to what caused the crash.

Air France Flight 447 left Rio de Janeiro on the night of May 31 bound for Paris. There were 228 people on board when it plunged into the ocean.