Indonesia's search and rescue chief said today he was "confident" two large objects detected under the Java Sea were the wreckage of AirAsia Flight 8501.

After nearly a week of searching for the victims of AirAsia Flight 8501, rescue teams battling monsoon rains have more than tripled the number of bodies pulled from the Java Sea, some still strapped to their seats.

Search crews have recovered 30 bodies from the AirAsia plane crash, and an Indonesian navy official says five were found still strapped in their seats.