29 bodies found from missing Myanmar military plane

A total of 29 human bodies have been discovered at sea, according to a statement released by Myanmar's Defense Services Office Thursday afternoon.

With the use of naval vessels and local fishing vessels, rescue teams for a missing military airplane recovered the 29 bodies which belong to one man, 20 women and eight children so far, said the statement.

Search for the missing plane is continuing with the use of nine naval vessels, five aircraft and two helicopters of the Air Force as well as local vessels.

The Myanmar government Thursday expressed deep concern over the heartbreaking news of loss and death from the missing plane, said a statement of the President's Office.

The seven bodies were found by local fishing vessels undertaking rescue tasks near the place where earlier the plane wreckage and the first three bodies had been found.

The place is located 22.4 km west of Kyauk Ni Maw and 35.2 km southwest of Laung Lone.

The ten bodies belong to one man, five women and four children.

The wreckage found include a tyre believed to be the plane's wheel, two life jackets and some bags.

Some oil spots of the missing plane have also been seen in waters 16 nautical miles southwest of Dawei on Thursday morning.

Search for the missing airplane is continuing with participation of nine naval vessels, five aircraft and two helicopters of the Air Force as well as local vessels.

With 122 people aboard, including 108 military personnel, family members and 14 crew members, the aircraft lost contact with the ground off the coast of southern Tanintharyi region Wednesday while en route from Myeik to Yangon.

The plane took off from Myeik air base at 1:06 p.m. local time (0636 GMT). When it reached a height of 18,000 feet (5,400 meters) at about 1:35 p.m. local time (0707 GMT), it lost contact with the ground at a location 32 km west of Dawei and went missing.

The aircraft was on a round trip transport mission along the Yangon-Myeik-Pokkpyin route.