国际英语新闻:Severe weather halts rescue, which will resume if conditions improve

JAKARTA, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Search and rescue operation to find more bodies, debris and biggest part of AirAsia plane has been temporarily stopped due to poor weather and huge waves, but it will be immediately resumed when the condition is improved, even in darkness, a rescuer said on Tuesday.

Head of National Search and Rescue Office F. Henry Bambang Sulistyo said three ships which have already been in the location were still ordered to localize the debris and anticipate in possibility of the emerging of the corpses to the sea surface.

"The problem we are facing now is the height waves up to two to three meters in evacuation area and unfavorable weather," he said at the agency office.

"But, if the wave height decreases, we will continue evacuation with help of light from the ships," said the official.

Several other ships including three Indonesian navy war ships, two surveyor ships that can detect objects under sea surface, and three Singaporean, are heading to the scene and are expected to arrive between 23:00 p.m. Jakarta time Tuesday to Wednesday morning, he said.

Besides, more than 14 divers have been requested to join the operation, said Sulityo.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo required rescuers to put a priority to evacuate the bodies of passengers and crews.

"I ordered (rescuers) to focus on the evacuation of passengers and plane crews," he said on Tuesday evening.

CEO of AirAsia said on Tuesday that he would not escape responsibility and obligation over the accident, saying that the accident is scar in the rest of his life.