SAO PAULO – Officials say medical examiners have identified another eight of the 51 bodies recovered from the Air France flight that plunged into the Atlantic five weeks ago.

A statement released Saturday by the Public Safety Department of the northeastern state of Pernambuco says that so far a total of 43 bodies have been identified.

Nine bodies have been identified as Brazilian men, eight as Brazilian women, nine as foreign men and 17 as foreign women.

The statement that does not reveal the names of the victims but says relatives of the Brazilians and the relevant foreign embassies have been notified.

Last week, Brazil ended its search for bodies and debris from the plane that disappeared with 228 people on board on June 1.

Ireland seeks release

of Darfur aid workers

The Associated Press

DUBLIN, Ireland – The head of an Irish humanitarian aid agency appealed Saturday for the release of two of its employees kidnapped in Darfur.

John O’Shea, chief executive of GOAL, said the group had not heard from the abductors of Irishwoman Sharon Commins, 32, and her Ugandan colleague, Hilda Kuwuki, 42. The international peacekeeping mission in the troubled desert region said they were abducted by gunmen in the Kutum area of north Darfur on Friday.

“We have had no contact with the kidnappers and we are very concerned for their safety,” O’Shea said.

“We have no indication as to who did this or why and I would appeal directly to the kidnappers to immediately release both these women who are valued colleagues of ours.”

A Sudanese government official said Saturday the kidnappers had not been identified.

Mohamed Osman Kebir, the governor of North Darfur, said a search started half an hour after the kidnapping.

“Our security forces followed the traces for about 50 miles (80 kms), but because the dark fell, we lost the trace. But today we are in full contact with all possible sources,” Kebir told The Associated Press.

Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs said the country’s ambassador to Egypt, Gerry Corr, was traveling to Sudan “as a matter of urgency” to seek the release of the two women. Ireland does not have an embassy in Sudan.

It is the third kidnapping of foreign humanitarian workers since March.

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AP reporter Mohamed Osman in Khartoum, Sudan contributed to this report.