CARACAS, May 7 (Xinhua) -- At least eight bodies have been found in the southern Venezuela's Amazonas state, where an army helicopter disappeared in December, the prosecutor-general's office announced Sunday.

Until now, eight bodies have been recovered and transferred to Puerto Ayacucho, the capital of Amazonas state, so that they may be identified by the forensic team in the coming hours, read the statement.

On December 30, 2016, a military helicopter disappeared as it travelled toward the airport of La Esmeralda in the northern part of the state. It had 13 people on board, including five civilians, four soldiers, and four crew members.

The helicopter crashed in an area of dense rainforest, making it difficult to find. It was found on May 2 by a special army group looking for it.

The statement added that a group of disaster experts would "remain in the relevant area" to search for the rest of those on board.