UPDATED 4:03pm: Stormy weather has forced Indonesian rescuers to suspend their search for the bodies of those aboard AirAsia's Flight QZ8501

More than 48 hours after the jet disappeared en route from Indonesia's second city Surabaya to Singapore, aerial searchers yesterday found wreckage and bodies floating in the Java Sea.

Officials say rain and wind prevented the resumption of the search this afternoon.

Six bodies retrieved

National Search and Rescue Agency chief Bambang Soelistyo says six bodies have been recovered, including a woman in crew uniform.

He says as soon as the weather is clear, the bodies will be brought to Pangkalan Bun," the town with the nearest airstrip to the crash site.

Indonesian search and rescue officials have just confirmed six bodies have been recovered from AirAsia Flight 8501.

One of the victims is a flight attendant.

Rough seas are slowing the recovery effort and the air search today has been unable to relocate the shadow thought to be the jet's wreckage underwater.

Fears confirmed

The airline says the debris and bodies found in the Java Sea are from the Airbus A320 that disappeared on Sunday.

Three bodies have been recovered and a object in the shape of a jet airliner has been seen underwater.

Families have reacted with horror after being told the news. One mother was seen to black out.

Sky's Alex Rossi says the Navy has recovered numerous bodies. 

"Air Asia is now preparing to take families to the sight as the mission changes form a rescue to a salvage operation."

Air Asia's chief executive has spoken of his deep sorrow of the news but says now at least they can get answers.

"There is at least some closure, as opposed to not knowing what's happened and holding out hope."

Indonesia's president Joko Widodo has met with the families of those onboard.

"My deep condolences goes out to the families of the passengers and crew.

"I'm feeling their loss and pray that they are given all the courage and strength to face this tragedy."

Pilot's widow coming to terms

The wife of the plane's pilot says she isn't ready to accept her husband is not coming back:

Her words are translated.

"The children still need a father, I still also need guidance from a husband.

"He's a good husband in my eyes and he's a faithful husband, a great husband. I can't name all his qualities - he's a great husband for me."

Search for black box 

As the recovery operation for Air Asia flight 8501 gets underway in the Java sea....the focus will turn to finding out what happened.

Aviation expert Lieutenant Colonel Ken Christensen says it'll be important to locate the plane's black box.

"I'm very confident they're going to find the black box because the water's very shallow

"They have a very concentrated search area now and it's just going to be a matter of time before they recover those, and they should be in pretty good condition."