French investigators have confirmed they will launch a fifth phase in the search for flight AF447 after the discovery of wreckage from the Air France Airbus A330.

The vessel Alucia, whose on-board team located the wreckage during the fourth phase of an extensive search effort, is to leave the mid-Atlantic crash site tomorrow and return to the Brazilian port of Suape.

French investigation agency Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses says it is undertaking a fifth phase in the operation - centred on the recovery of the flight recorders and, if necessary, other structures - and that the French Government will fund the work.

AF447 Ile de Sein
 Alcatel-Lucent's cable ship Ile de Sein

BEA adds that a different vessel will be used in the recovery phase, the Ile de Sein from the company Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks.

It will be equipped with a remotely-operated underwater vehicle from Phoenix International.

BEA is aiming to retrieve the flight-data recorder and the cockpit-voice recorder from flight AF447, which was lost en route to Paris in June 2009.

Photo: ICPC

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news