Experts autopsies of the Air France disaster victims and the large pieces of wreckage pulled from the Atlantic Ocean strongly suggest the plane broke up in the air.

Debris of the missing Air France flight 447, recovered from the Atlantic Ocean, arrives at Recife's port June 14, 2009. [Alexandre Severo/CCTV/REUTERS/JC Imagem]

With more than 400 pieces of debris recovered from the ocean's surface, the top French investigator expressed optimism about discovering what brought down Flight 447.

But he also said conditions were some of the worst ever known in an accident investigation.

A spokesman for Brazilian medical examiners said that fractures were found in autopsies on an undisclosed number of the 50 bodies recovered so far.

He said fractures in the legs, hips and arms of the victims are an indicator of a midflight break up. The plane's flight data and voice recorders are still missing.

(CCTV June 18, 2009)