

The search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been updated after a new credible lead was provided to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).

Read: Malaysian MH370: SATCOMS 101 (IV)

As a result today’s search will shift to an area 1,100 kilometres to the north east based on updated advice provided by the international investigation team in Malaysia.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Australia’s investigation agency, has examined advice and determined that this is the most credible lead to where debris may be located.

The new search area is approximately 319,000 square kilometres and around 1,850 kilometres west of Perth. The new search area is about four times bigger than the previous search area in the southern Indian Ocean although in more moderate seas and closer to the search base so aircraft could spend longer over the area.

The new information is based on continuing analysis of radar data between the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca before radar contact was lost.

It indicated that the aircraft was travelling faster than previously estimated, resulting in increased fuel usage and reducing the possible distance the aircraft travelled south into the Indian Ocean.

ATSB said the potential flight path may undergo further refinement as the international investigative team supporting the search continues their analysis.

In a statement Malaysia’s acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said: “Because of ocean drift, this new search area could still be consistent with the potential objects identified by various satellite images over the past week,” he said. “This work is on-going, and we can expect further refinements. As the Australian authorities indicated this morning, this is standard practice in a search operation. It is a process of continually refining data which in turn further narrows the search area. With each step, we get closer to understanding MH370’s flight path.”

The Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation is now re-tasking satellites to image the new area. Weather conditions have improved in the area and ten aircraft are tasked for today’s search.

They include two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P3 Orions, a Japanese Coast Guard jet, a Japanese P3 Orion, a Republic of Korea P3 Orion, a Republic of Korea C130 Hercules, a Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) P3 Orion, a Chinese military Ilyushin IL-76, a United States Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft, and one civil jet acting as a communications relay.

A further RAAF P3 Orion has been placed on standby at Pearce to investigate any reported sightings.

There are now six vessels relocating to the new search area including HMAS Success and five Chinese ships.



