The office reiterated in its Facebook page that recovering the bodies is a top priority, but the safety of its personnel is also a top concern. “A date when this will happen is still to be determined,” the post said.

This is the first time that the sheriff’s office has revealed information on the July 26 accident involving Thiwadee Saengsuriyarit, 24, and Bhakapon Chairattanasongporn, 28, both postgraduate students at South Florida University.

The sheriff’s office has been criticized for the delay in retrieving the bodies of the students and the car that was found partially submerged in Kings River after plunging 150-metres off a cliff more than two weeks ago.

The office said bad weather, the strong river currents and geographical difficulties prevented it from mounting a safe retrieval mission.

Protests are planned in Fresno County and Los Angeles, by the Thai Amercian Community today as frustration mounts at the slow progress of the operation. Organisers have said they would proceed with the protests if the retrieval mission did not start today.

The Facebook page of the Fesno County’s Sheriff Office reported that Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, members of the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team and military personnel held a meeting on Thursday to discuss potential plans to recover the bodies.

Earlier in the day, the military used a Chinook helicopter to survey the area. They captured new photos, which were in addition to pictures that had been taken earlier.

SAR said it would continue to consult with other experts in the field and monitor daily weather patterns and water flows as part of the recovery plan. Mims must approve any plan before it is placed into action.

On Wednesday, the parents of the presumed victims and members of the Thai Consulate of Los Angeles met with county leaders in southern California.

Sheriff Mims sent a written statement to the parents, which said: “I would like family members to know that recovering their loved ones is a top priority at my office right now.

“The Fresno County Sheriff Search and Rescue team has a lot of experience and is currently working to develop a plan that is safest for them to effectively do their jobs.

“I realize this is a difficult situation and want you to know that our goal is to recover your family members in a respectful manner as soon as an opportunity presents itself. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”