Bodies, debris provide vital clues about Flight 447 crash

Though crash investigators suspect that malfunctioning air speed sensors or Pitot tubes could have transmitted unreliable speed data to the main computer system of the plane, causing it to fly at wrong speed - a potentially deadly mistake in severe turbulence, as flying too quickly can damage a plane's airframe, while traveling too slowly can result in loss of lift, produce a stall and loss of control yet they are not willing to make any public announcement on the cause of the crash till the voice and data recorders, which could be thousands of feet below the ocean surface, are recovered, as they could explain how the giant aircraft fell out of the sky from an altitude of about 35,000 feet without any distress calls from pilots.

However, the investigators said the bodies, 50 found so far, and debris recovered from the ocean so far could provide important leads on the cause of the crash.

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For instance, they said the bodies recovered could provide important clues as to whether the plane broke up in mid-air or was intact when it crashed into the ocean.

Initial examination of the bodies, the investigators said, appear to suggest that a massive depressurization could have ripped the plane apart in mid-air. "Most bodies were found naked or with minimal clothing, suggesting the wind may have removed the garments. Multiple fractures on almost all the bodies also suggest that the plane encountered a violent turbulence before it crashed," a senior Brazilian military official said, on condition of anonymity, as he is not supposed to speak on the matter.