The bodies of two pilots of a South Korean cargo plane that crashed into waters off the southern resort island of Jeju were recovered on Sunday nearly three months after the accident took place, Jeju maritime police said.

The pilots ― Choi Sang-gi, the 52-year-old captain of the plane, and Lee Jeong-wung, his 43-year-old deputy ― had been unaccounted for after their Boeing 747 cargo plane operated by Asiana Airlines crashed into waters about 107 kilometers west of the island in an accident presumably caused by an in-flight fire on July 28.

The jet’s black box, which could help determine the cause of the crash, has yet to be found.

Their bodies were found inside the cockpit of the plane, recovered the previous day by a search team in waters near the scene and pulled to Jeju Port early Sunday, according to the police.

The corpses were then taken to Jeju National University Hospital, the spokesman added.

“We understand the families of the pilots flew to Jeju Island upon hearing the news from a government probe committee on aviation and train accidents,” an Asiana official said. “We’ll be able to hold funerals after going through DNA tests and all other necessary procedures ruled by the committee,” the official added. 

(Yonhap News)