Australia More Confident of Finding MH370
A report issued Dec. 3 says new analysis indicates the crashed aircraft is probably in the southern end of the current search area.
Australian officials welcomed a new report released Dec. 3 that indicates the missing MH370 jetliner probably will be found in the southern section of the Indian Ocean zone that ships are currently searching. The Australian Defence Science and Technology Group analyzed available data relating to the Boeing 777-200ER, a Malaysia Airlines flight that was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members when it vanished from radar screens on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane has not been located, but a flaperon that washed up on Reunion Island in July 2015 was confirmed by Malaysia's prime minister as having come from it.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau prepared the report, "MH370 – Definition of Underwater Search Areas," based on the group's analysis. It confirms the focus of search efforts so far and identified the southern section as the area of highest probability for containing the aircraft.
Two ships have been conducting the search; a third ship completed sea trials and departed for the search area Nov. 30 and is expected to arrive Dec. 5, the bureau reported. Calmer weather during the summer month in the Southern Hemisphere is expected to bring more favorable conditions for the search.