Ships Continue To Scan The Ocean Bottom For Any Sign Of The Wreckage

It has been nearly a year since Malaysian Airline flight MH370 vanished without a trace, and searchers are continuing to comb a large swath of the Indian Ocean where it is thought the plane went down.

The ATSB, which is leading the search, said in its most recent operational update that Over 24,000 square kilometres of the seafloor have been searched, which is around 40 per cent of the priority search area. Assuming no other significant delays with vessels, equipment or from the weather, the ATSB says the current underwater search area may be largely completed around May 2015.

The priorities are mapping the MH370 debris field in order to identify and prioritize the recovery of specific aircraft components, including flight recorders, which will assist with the Malaysian investigation. The ATSB has utilized 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.

(ATSB Image)

FMI: www.atsb.gov.au/mh370-pages/updates/operational-update.aspx