Page:Report of the Board of Inquiry into the Helderberg air disaster.djvu/49

Rh heat damage. None of the retrieved articles positively identified as coming from the lower cargo holds had any signs of exposure to heat or smoke.

On 11 December 1987, 3 ships commenced the search for the underwater locating beacons (pingers) which were fitted to the CVR and to the DFDR. To accomplish this it was essential to set up a grid of navigational beacons. An oceanographic research vessel, which happened to be available at Mauritius, was contracted to do a sonar sea bed survey and to map the sea bed. This survey was conducted from December 12th to 21st 1987 during which time some light pleces of debris were seen on the sea bed by means of TV cameras and photographed.

The pinger search continued until January 2nd 1988 without success. Another vessel with special manoeuvring features was hired and then fitted with side scan sonar equipment to search for the wreckage field. Because of unfavourable weather conditions the search could only commence on January 25th. On January 28th the main wreckage field was