RIO DE JANEIRO, June 12 (RIA Novosti) - Three more bodies have been found in the Atlantic Ocean where an Air France plane went down on June 1, bringing the total to 44, the Brazilian Navy and Air Force announced at a joint press conference.

Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris was carrying 228 passengers and crew when it lost contact with ground controllers about four hours into the flight. The crash is the worst in the airline's 75-year history, and the world's worst for almost a decade.

There are still 184 people missing, and Brazilian Air Force Brig. Gen. Ramon Cardoso said search operations would continue until at least June 19, and could be extended depending on weather and sea conditions.

He added that an institute of forensic medicine in the northeastern Brazilian city of Recife has begun formal identification of some of the bodies, including using genetic testing.

A French nuclear-powered submarine has arrived in the area to attempt to find the flight recorders, which could help to establish what caused the accident. Following the discovery of the largely intact tail fin, it was suggested the plane broke up in flight.