TOKYO (AFP) – Thousands of Japanese and US troops on Friday began an intensive aerial and maritime search for bodies along Japan’s north Pacific coast devastated by the March 11 quake and tsunami.
The allies were deploying 120 aircraft and helicopters as well as 65 vessels to look for at least 16,441 people still missing after the disaster, the Japan Defense Agency said. At least 11,532 people have been killed.
“The focus will be along the coastline, river mouths and land areas still submerged in sea water,” a Japanese ground force official said.
“Bodies washed out to the sea usually sink first. But they usually float again a few weeks later. So the sweep will be mainly for them,” he said.
Thousands of military personnel will take part in the search, the official said, with the Yomiuri Shimbun daily saying 17,000 Japanese and 7,000 US forces would participate.
But the search will not cover the
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