Search ends for bodies from Air France crash

Brazil has ended the search for more bodies from the Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean last month, calling the task "impossible," but the search for the jet's flight recorders will go on.

Brazilian and French searchers have recovered large chunks of debris and 51 bodies from Air France Flight 447, which disappeared with 228 people on board late May 31.

Brazil's air force and navy on Friday ended their search for more bodies or debris.

"The reason for this is the impossibility of finding survivors or bodies, which has always been the main focus of our search efforts," Brazilian Air Force Col. Henry Munhoz said at news conference.

But Munhoz said the search for the black boxes would continue "coordinated by France."

Experts say the black boxes may be key to deciding what brought the airliner down. And signals from the voice and data recorders begin to fade after about 30 days.