Japanese troops deployed to search the bodies of missing people

Thousands of Japanese troops are to resume the search for the bodies of people killed in last month's earthquake and tsunami, although hopes are fading that many will be recovered. About 14,300 people are confirmed to have died in the 11 March disaster, but more than 12,000 others are unaccounted for. Many are thought to have been swept out to sea or trapped beneath debris. Almost 25,000 troops will be deployed along with about 90 helicopters and planes, 50 boats and 100 navy divers to scour what remains of devastated towns as well as areas up to 12 miles out to sea. Two previous large-scale searches of the coast have turned up only a small number of victims. A defence ministry spokesman said he hoped more bodies would be recovered during the two-day operation now that water levels had dropped.