Accident investigators have shipped the recovered failed Aztec plane wreckage to the United States for further investigations.

On Sunday the aircraft was recovered from waters adjacent to the previous search location by a salvage team with assistance from specialist divers of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Chief Accident Investigator in the Air Accident Department Delvin Major said they are working swiftly.

“If we don’t get to it right away,we’ll lose valuable evidence because it deteriorates quickly once out the water and in the air.

“We are making every effort to get over to meet the boat when it arrives and I have the team already in place. The NTSD, the manufacturer of the aircraft, and the manufacturer of the engines and a few other metal specialists who will be joining us,” Major said.

All major components and parts of the aircraft were recovered, which means investigators will now have a full understanding of what happened.  However there is  no telling as to the exact date that report will be completed.

“Once they  run their initial on sight investigation, they have to go back and do their analysis and write a report to send me their findings and in the past that has taken some two to three months to get the report back,

“Once I’ve gotten everyone’s report, then I will combine it with mine and then the final will come out.

“Most of these investigations can take up to a year; sometimes longer,  but it all depends on how soon the manufacturers and specialists can give me their report, because once I get theirs, my report can take about 30 days,” Major said.