The first two bodies from the AirAsia Flight QZ8501 crash have arrived back in the Indonesian city of Surabaya, where relatives are waiting.
Indonesian military personnel carry coffins of victims recovered from AirAsia flight QZ8501. Photo: AFP
Next of kin have been asked for DNA samples to help identify the victims.
The Airbus A320-200, carrying 162 people from Surabaya to Singapore, disappeared on Sunday and remains were located in the sea on Tuesday.
The authorities say seven bodies have been retrieved but bad weather is hampering further salvage efforts, the BBC reports.
A public memorial will be held in Surabaya on Wednesday evening local time, and the governor of East Java province has told the BBC that all New Year's Eve celebrations have been cancelled.
On board the plane were 137 adult passengers, 17 children and one infant, along with two pilots and five crew.
It is not yet clear what happened to the plane but its last communication was a request from air traffic control to climb to avoid bad weather. The pilot did not respond when given permission.
A pilot and co-pilot in the Indonesian air force keep a look out during search and rescue operations for the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501. Photo: AFP
A three-day search culminated on Tuesday with the discovery of remains, including aircraft parts, luggage and the bodies in the Karimata Strait, south-west of the town of Pangkalan Bun in the Indonesian part of Borneo.
AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes said it had been narrowed, with all assets involved in the search being moved to two areas where the aircraft could be.
The bodies were flown to Surabaya's Juanda airport on Wednesday afternoon from a hospital in Pangkalan Bun, where they had been sent from the crash site.
Another five bodies are reported to be on board a ship on their way to a harbour near Pangkalan Bun.
Four of the seven bodies are male and three female, one of them a flight attendant.
One search and rescue agency official, Tatang Zaenudin, said one of the bodies was wearing a life jacket but this has not been confirmed.
Strong winds and 2m waves have slowed down the recovery of bodies and debris, with helicopters mostly grounded and divers prevented from searching the waters.
Ships already in place are continuing the search. Mr Fernandes said they were expecting to operate around the clock.
The weather is forecast to deteriorate further, with heavy rain until Friday.
Next of kin of passengers and crew have been asked for DNA samples to help identify the bodies when they come in.
The BBC's Alice Budisatrijo, who is in Surabaya, said concerns were growing that the remains would be too difficult to identify after more than three days in the water.
Officials in Surabaya said a public announcement would be made as soon as any remains were identified.