Aircraft

Brazil's naval command has released the first images of wreckage retrieved during the search operation for the lost Air France Airbus A330.

The images show a large section of debris featuring the Air France logo, apparently with a 'CREW REST' identifier, on the deck of the Brazilian frigate 'Constituicao'.

Retrieval of the sections follows a week of intense search efforts, following the disappearance of flight AF447 over the South Atlantic while en route from Rio de Janeiro for Paris.

Fourteen aircraft and six vessels from Brazilian and French forces are still engaged in the hunt, which has yet to locate the aircraft's two flight recorders.

• Sir Richard Branson guest edited Flightglobal.com on June 8^th.

Sir Richard Branson: This was clearly an horrendous accident and it’s very sad to see the images emerging from the ocean. It’s vital that investigators reach conclusions as to the cause as quickly as possible so that this never happens again. Our thoughts are with those who suffered and their loved ones.