The search for AirAsia Flight QZ8501: Where things stand

Ships, planes and helicopters are trying to find victims of the disaster. Most of the people on board the flight remain missing, and officials are yet to confirm that they've found the fuselage of the plane.

Here's the key information about where things stand: The flight What we know: Flight QZ8501 took off early Sunday from Surabaya, Indonesia, bound for Singapore. Roughly 35 minutes into the flight, the pilot asked air traffic control for permission to turn left and climb to a higher altitude to avoid bad weather. Minutes later, the plane disappeared from air traffic control's radar, CNN reports. What we don't know: What happened on board after the plane lost contact. No distress call was received. Indonesian aviation authorities have suggested that the plane ascended to a higher altitude despite permission being denied because of traffic. Some experts have speculated that the aircraft might have experienced an aerodynamic stall because of a lack of speed or from flying at too sharp an angle to get enough lift. Analysts have also suggested that the pilots might not have been getting information from onboard systems about the plane's position, or that rain or hail from thunderstorms in the area could have damaged the engines. Until the main wreckage of the plane is found, along with the flight recorders, experts have little evidence to support their theories.

The search What we know: Search teams found debris and some dead bodies in the water Tuesday, 100 to 200 kilometers (about 60 to 120 miles) from the aircraft's last known location over the Java Sea, Indonesia's search and rescue agency said. Seven bodies have so far been recovered, authorities say, one of them a woman wearing a flight attendant's uniform. Indonesia is leading the international search effort, with assistance from a range of countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the United States. What we don't know: The exact location of the body of the aircraft. An Indonesian search official told CNN on Wednesday that he thinks sonar equipment has detected wreckage from Flight 8501 at the bottom of the Java Sea. But the country's search and rescue chief said the plane hadn't been found yet. Bad weather has hindered the search operation. For full version go to