IN AIR/AUSTRALIA: More objects spotted during search for missing Malaysian airliner
Record ID:
559626
IN AIR/AUSTRALIA: More objects spotted during search for missing Malaysian airliner
- Title: IN AIR/AUSTRALIA: More objects spotted during search for missing Malaysian airliner
- Date: 30th March 2014
- Summary: PERTH, AUSTRALIA (MARCH 30, 2014) (REUTERS) SOUTH KOREAN P3 ORION LANDING GROUND CREW STANDING VARIOUS OF SOUTH KOREAN P3 ORION ON TARMAC GROUND CREW STANDING NEXT TO AIRCRAFT SOUTH KOREA P3 ORION ON TARMAC SOUTH KOREA AIRCREW WALKING VARIOUS OF ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE P3 ORION ON TARMAC GROUND CREW SIGNALLING TO AIRCRAFT RAAF P3 ORION PARKING ON TARMAC AIRCREW WALKING ACROSS TARMAC ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT LIEUTENANT RUSSELL ADAMS WALKING ADAMS STANDING IN FRONT OF MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT LIEUTENANT RUSSELL ADAMS SAYING: "We were able to detect many objects in the water today, we were able to rule a few out as fishing buoys and fishing nets. However, of interest today we did encounter an area within approximately 500 nautical miles, included at least four orange coloured objects, greater than approximately 2 meters in size each. I must stress that we can't confirm the origin of these objects, however the details of these in association with a GPS buoy have been passed on to our rescue coordination centre." ADAMS STANDING IN FRONT OF MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE FLIGHT LIEUTENANT RUSSELL ADAMS SAYING: "For my crew and from our perspective, this was the most visibility we've had of any objects in the water and gave us the most promising leads." ADAMS WALKING AWAY
- Embargoed: 14th April 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Australia
- Country: Australia
- Topics: Accidents,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVADBTOIHV7T0PVOASKIWFTS99SP
- Story Text: Search planes returned to the Pearce airbase in Perth on Sunday (March 30) as officials raced to locate the Malaysian airliner's black box recorder days before its batteries are set to die.
Lieutenant Russell Adams confirmed several objects were spotted during Australian P3 Orion's flight, while some were ruled out there remained at least four objects of interest.
"We were able to detect many objects in the water today, we were able to rule a few out as fishing buoys and fishing nets. However, of interest today we did encounter an area within approximately 500 nautical miles, included at least four orange coloured objects, greater than approximately 2 meters in size each. I must stress that we can't confirm the origin of these objects, however the details of these in association with a GPS buoy have been passed on to our rescue coordination centre," he said.
"For my crew and from our perspective, this was the most visibility we've had of any objects in the water and gave us the most promising leads," he added.
Ten ships and nine aircraft were searching a massive area in the Indian Ocean west of Perth, trying again to find some trace of the aircraft, which went missing more than three weeks ago and is presumed to have crashed in one of the most remote areas on the planet.
An Australian navy ship, the Ocean Shield, was fitted with a sophisticated U.S. black box locator and an underwater drone on Sunday, and is expected to leave port and join the search later in the day.
Numerous objects have been spotted in the two days since Australian authorities moved the search 1,100 km (685 miles) after new analysis of radar and satellite data concluded the Boeing 777 travelled faster and for a shorter distance after vanishing from civilian radar screens on March 8. None has been confirmed as coming from Flight MH370.
Australia, which is coordinating the search in the southern Indian Ocean, said it had established a new body to oversee the investigation and issued countries involved in the search a set of protocols to abide by should any wreckage be found.
Malaysia says the plane, which disappeared less than an hour into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, was likely diverted deliberately. Investigators have determined no apparent motive or other red flags among the 227 passengers or the 12 crew.
The search has involved unprecedented cooperation between more than two dozen countries and 60 aircraft and ships but has also been hampered by regional rivalries and an apparent reluctance to share potentially crucial information due to security concerns. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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