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Search ends for Indonesia plane crash victims

CIJERUK, Indonesia, May 18 (UPI) -- The search for victims of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 collision with Mount Salak, West Java, Indonesia, was officially brought to a close Friday, officials said.

Col. A.M. Putranto, military coordinator of the Indonesian search team, led a small ceremony Friday to the evacuation command post in Cijeruk, Bogor.

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"In accordance with the National Search and Rescue Agency's decision, evacuation operations are officially ended," Putranto said. "We will, however, continue to comb the site to search for some materials of the plane."

The passenger plane carrying 45 passengers crashed May 9, and as of Friday morning, search teams identified only 15 victims.

Teams have already discovered the cockpit voice recorders and two "black boxes" from the wreckage, but will continue to search with a 45-person team, aided by the Russian Emergencies Ministry's search team, ITAR-Tass reported.

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