Wing images
I too think the video grab of the attempted hoist shows the underside of the wings. The pic I posted earlier appears to me to show the upper wing surfaces nearly intact, really quite amazing, while the larger stills of the right wing, lettering intact, really show only the tip broken off.
The largely intact wings really present a puzzle. When we think of wings being pulled off by aerodynamic loads, and how relatively easy that is, it is easy to wonder what kind of impact on water with a large vertical component might allow wings to stay attached. I'd welcome any conjecture about how that might occur.
Short of a small drydock that might have been lowered and the fuselage section raised just enough to load it, then being towed a long ways at slow speed to shallow, calm waters for eventual raising on the dd, I see no reasonable way the fuselage could have been raised. Even lifting under water would have caused some damage. I do hope that many more underwater videos and photos were taken in anticipation that recovery would cause a lot of damage, and that some of those are released. They may not be released at least initially due to implications for the passengers survivors, but a final report in this instance would have to contain quite a few. The still pic and video grabs of the fuselage to me suggests the fuselage as it sat on the ocean floor had lost some internal cabin height from the fuselage top indentation, and probably more height from the floor pressed up from below. That could have resulted in very little vertical cabin room, mostly taken up by a jumble of seats which both pics suggest largely remained inside except at fuselage breaks. Divers reports of wiring and piping would apply inside. Not surprising divers could not enter.
No further word on cockpit location or confirmation of that of other major parts?
Last edited by Leightman 957; 25th Jan 2015 at 22:52.
Reason: more pics taken?