15 December 2014

MH370 - Main search for MH370 could end in May as hunt fails to show any sign of missing plane




Main search for MH370 could end in May as hunt fails to show any sign of missing plane


  • Investigators say the search for MH370 may finish in May 
  • Decisions regarding the search will be made in collaboration between Malaysia, China and Australia
  • Last week, family members of the 239 passengers on-board provided DNa samples to assist in identifying any bodies that may be found 
  • Lead search agency released an images showing what they have recorded as they scour the Indian Ocean floor
  • The image was captured by the GO Phoenix vessel, which returned the search area on Tuesday to continue underwater operations
  • More than 9,000 square kilometres of ocean floor has been searched to date with no sign of the missing plane 

Investigators searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say they could finish scouring the priority zone by May, more than a year after it vanished, if there are no delays with vessels, equipment and weather.

The Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC) told AAP on Sunday that decisions about the future of the search would continue to be made in collaboration between Malaysia, China and Australia.

Last week, families of the 239 passengers and crew on board the March 8 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing provided DNA samples to assist in identifying loved ones once the plane was found.

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Investigators searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say they could finish scouring the priority zone by May, more than a year after it vanished, if there are no delays with vessels, equipment and weather
Investigators searching for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say they could finish scouring the priority zone by May, more than a year after 
it vanished, if there are no delays with vessels, equipment and weather

A computer-animated video and sonar images of the Indian Ocean seabed where the search has been focused has also been released.

The latest JACC update said the survey vessel Fugro Equator was continuing to map the ocean floor and would return to Fremantle when it completes its current phase this month.

About 200,000 square kilometres of the search area has been surveyed so far.

The Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC) told AAP on Sunday that decisions about the future of the search would continue to be made in collaboration between Malaysia, China and Australia
The Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC) told AAP on Sunday that decisions about the future of the search would continue to be made in collaboration between Malaysia, China and Australia

Fugro Discovery arrived back in the search area on December 4, while GO Phoenix returned last Tuesday, and both have recommenced underwater search operations.

Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was on the missing flight, wrote an article for the Sunday Times.

She said when she and her two young children said goodbye to him they never thought it would be for the last time.

Last week, families of the 239 passengers and crew on board the March 8 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing provided DNA samples to assist in identifying loved ones once the plane was found
Last week, families of the 239 passengers and crew on board the March 8 flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing provided DNA samples to assist in identifying loved ones once the plane was found


But now, March 7 is permanently engraved in my mind and often on rewind,' she wrote.

'Not only as the day we kissed Paul goodbye at Perth Airport, but because mentally, for me, it is still March 7.'

Ms Weeks said not knowing what really happened to her husband continued to haunt her.


A computer-animated video and sonar images of the Indian Ocean seabed where the search has been focused has also been released
A computer-animated video and sonar images of the Indian Ocean seabed where the search has been focused has also been released

'Every waking minute, your mind runs scenarios of what might have happened,' she said.

'You are searching the news constantly for any small piece of information that may give you a clue to their whereabouts, and your heart pounds every time the phone rings. Is this it? Have they found something?'  

Those hunting for debris of the plane have revealed footage of what they've found on the ocean floor.

Lead search agency, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, released this sonar acoustic image on Thursday of the ocean floor as teams continue to scour the Indian Ocean
Lead search agency, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, released this sonar acoustic image on Thursday of the ocean floor as teams continue to scour the Indian Ocean

The picture, released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau on Thursday, shows what search vessels are recording as they continue to scour the Indian Ocean for any signs of the Malaysian Airlines plane.

'The image is a synthetic aperture sonar acoustic image of the sea floor gathered by GO Phoenix. This is indicative of the resolution and quality of the data and that it is revealing important detail of the sea floor,' the ATSB, who is leading the search, said in its latest operational report. 

The GO Phoenix vessel returned to the area on Tuesday to recommence underwater search operations. Another vessel, Fugro Discovery, is also searching underwater as the Fugro Equator continues to conduct bathymetric survey operations in the search area.

More than 9,000 square kilometres of the Indian Ocean floor has been searched to date, but there's been no signs of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight
More than 9,000 square kilometres of the Indian Ocean floor has been searched to date, but there's been no signs of the missing 
Malaysian Airlines flight

'In addition to locating the aircraft, the underwater search aims to map the MH370 debris field in order to identify and prioritise the recovery of specific aircraft components, including flight recorders, which will assist with the Malaysian investigation,' the ATSB said.

'The ATSB has utilised the data from the bathymetric survey work to prepare the initial plan for the underwater search, to be followed and referred to by all parties involved. 

'The plan includes search timings, methods, procedures, safety precautions and the initial search areas for the various vessels.

About 200,000 square kilometres of the search area have been surveyed via bathymetric surveying 
About 200,000 square kilometres of the search area have been surveyed via bathymetric surveying 

'The equipment used on the vessels is providing extraordinary data.'

More than 9,000 square kilometres of the ocean floor has been searched to date and about 200,000 square kilometres of the search area has been surveyed, according to the ATSB. 

The primary search area - dubbed the ‘priority area' - is an arc 60,000 square kilometres in size - 1,800km off the west Australian coast. 

The primary search area - dubbed the ‘priority area' - is an arc 60,000 square kilometres in size, which is 1,800km off the west Australian coast
The primary search area - dubbed the ‘priority area' - is an arc 60,000 square kilometres in size, which is 1,800km off the west Australian coast

Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared over the Indian Ocean on March 8 with 239 people on board, and no sign of the plane has been found since then.

The ATSB release operational reports to provide updates on their search progress.


'Our work will continue to be thorough and methodical, so sometimes weekly progress may seem slow,' it said.

'Please be assured that work is continuing and is aimed at finding MH370 as quickly as possible.'


The search has passed the nine month mark after the plane went missing on March 8 with 239 people onboard
The search has passed the nine month mark after the plane went missing on March 8 with 239 people onboard

The ATSB reguarly release operational reports to provide updates on their search progress for MH370
The ATSB reguarly release operational reports to provide updates on their search progress for MH370


Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2873263/Plans-end-priority-search-area-MH370-mission-fails-sign-missing-plane.html#ixzz3LtUQt9g9 

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