3 more bodies found in Air France crash

RECIFE, Brazil, June 12 (UPI) -- Three more bodies have been recovered from Air France Flight 447 that crashed in the Atlantic May 31, raising the retrieved body count to 44, officials say.

Searchers said it was unlikely all the dead would be found. The Airbus crashed with 228 people aboard.

Brazilian Air Force Gen. Ramon Cardoso said the search of the rain-swept aerial crash area was hindered by reduced visibility.

He said currents that had been carrying bodies and debris toward the West African nation of Senegal were said to be reversing and could bring them closer to Brazilian and French searchers.

"It is becoming more and more difficult to find and recover bodies," he said.

Authorities told The Daily Telegraph (Britain) they hope identifying the bodies will help them determine whether the plane broke up in-flight.

Brazil's military will decide next week whether to halt the search for bodies June 19.