http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/malays...hip-try-to-confirm-satellite-images-1.2579606
Malaysia Airlines MH370: Planes, ship try to confirm satellite images
Australian military aircraft flew over a remote area in the southern Indian Ocean and a cargo vessel was rerouted there to determine whether two large floating objects spotted by satellite are pieces of wreckage from a Malaysian jet missing for nearly two weeks.
No certain wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been found since it disappeared on March 8, sparking one of the largest search efforts in aviation history and raising questions about what happened to the plane carrying 239 people.
"It is credible enough to divert the research to this area on the basis it provides a promising lead to what might be wreckage from the debris field," said Air Commodore John McGarry of Australia's Department of Defence at a news conference.
Satellite imagery analyzed by experts discovered two objects of a "reasonable size" bobbing up and down in the southern Indian Ocean, said John Young, general manager of Australia's Maritime Safety Authority. The objects were spotted about 2,500 kilometres southwest of Perth, in an area where the ocean is about 3,000 metres deep.
The largest object appears to be about 24 metres, he said — with the second object being smaller at about five metres. A number of smaller items appear to be scattered around the large object, he said.
"This is a lead. It is probably the best lead we have right now. But we need to get there, find them, see them, assess them to know whether it’s really meaningful or not," he said.
The search for the objects could take time. Australian authorities said one of the planes was unable to locate the debris through clouds and rain, but that other planes would continue the hunt.
CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland said early Thursday that the weather in the area was improving over the next few hours, and he expected clear skies for 24 hours and possibly more.
An unprecedented multinational search for the plane has focused on two vast corridors: one arcing north overland from Laos towards the Caspian Sea, the other curving south across the Indian Ocean from west of Indonesia's Sumatra island to west of Australia.
Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the larger, established search will continue even as the Australian images are investigated. However, the effort is mostly concentrated south of the equator over the vast Indian Ocean.
Out of a total of 29 aircraft, 18 ships and six ship-borne helicopters deployed in the operation, only four aircraft are now scouring the north.
Norwegian cargo vessel Hoeegh St. Petersburg was rerouted and has arrived at the site in the Indian Ocean where the possible wreckage was spotted, Haakon Svane of the Norwegian Shipowners' Association told The Associated Press.
"It did so at the request of the Australian maritime authorities and it is currently taking part in the search operations," Svane said.
The ship, which transports cars, was on its way from South Africa to Australia when it was rerouted. A Royal Australian Navy ship, which is well-equipped for recovering objects, is still days away from the area.
Military planes from Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand have been searching in a region over the southern Indian Ocean that was narrowed down from 600,000 square kilometres to 305,000 square kilometres.
Malaysia Airlines MH370: Planes, ship try to confirm satellite images
Australian military aircraft flew over a remote area in the southern Indian Ocean and a cargo vessel was rerouted there to determine whether two large floating objects spotted by satellite are pieces of wreckage from a Malaysian jet missing for nearly two weeks.
No certain wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been found since it disappeared on March 8, sparking one of the largest search efforts in aviation history and raising questions about what happened to the plane carrying 239 people.
"It is credible enough to divert the research to this area on the basis it provides a promising lead to what might be wreckage from the debris field," said Air Commodore John McGarry of Australia's Department of Defence at a news conference.
Satellite imagery analyzed by experts discovered two objects of a "reasonable size" bobbing up and down in the southern Indian Ocean, said John Young, general manager of Australia's Maritime Safety Authority. The objects were spotted about 2,500 kilometres southwest of Perth, in an area where the ocean is about 3,000 metres deep.
The largest object appears to be about 24 metres, he said — with the second object being smaller at about five metres. A number of smaller items appear to be scattered around the large object, he said.
"This is a lead. It is probably the best lead we have right now. But we need to get there, find them, see them, assess them to know whether it’s really meaningful or not," he said.
The search for the objects could take time. Australian authorities said one of the planes was unable to locate the debris through clouds and rain, but that other planes would continue the hunt.
CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland said early Thursday that the weather in the area was improving over the next few hours, and he expected clear skies for 24 hours and possibly more.
An unprecedented multinational search for the plane has focused on two vast corridors: one arcing north overland from Laos towards the Caspian Sea, the other curving south across the Indian Ocean from west of Indonesia's Sumatra island to west of Australia.
Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the larger, established search will continue even as the Australian images are investigated. However, the effort is mostly concentrated south of the equator over the vast Indian Ocean.
Out of a total of 29 aircraft, 18 ships and six ship-borne helicopters deployed in the operation, only four aircraft are now scouring the north.
Norwegian cargo vessel Hoeegh St. Petersburg was rerouted and has arrived at the site in the Indian Ocean where the possible wreckage was spotted, Haakon Svane of the Norwegian Shipowners' Association told The Associated Press.
"It did so at the request of the Australian maritime authorities and it is currently taking part in the search operations," Svane said.
The ship, which transports cars, was on its way from South Africa to Australia when it was rerouted. A Royal Australian Navy ship, which is well-equipped for recovering objects, is still days away from the area.
Military planes from Australia, the U.S. and New Zealand have been searching in a region over the southern Indian Ocean that was narrowed down from 600,000 square kilometres to 305,000 square kilometres.
