Satellite Data Indicates Last Ping 'Far From Any Landing Site'

The Prime Minister of Malaysia said Monday that the Boeing 777 operating as Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was lost in the Southern Indian Ocean.

The announcement was based on analysis of Inmarsat data that showed the last reported position of the airplane as being over the Indian Ocean west of Perth, Australia. Prime Minister Najib Razak said that the position "is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean."

The Wall Street Journal reports that Inmarsat was able to collect two data streams to help narrow the possible position of the airplane. A second stream analyzed by the U.K. Aviation Accidents Investigation Branch took into account the "Doppler Effect" to help reach the conclusion.

The search for the wreckage of the airplane is still ongoing. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot said in a speech to that country's parliament Monday that there had been additional objects spotted in the area where it is now believed the plane went down, but it was not certain that they were pieces of the B777. Abbot said he hopes the objects can be recovered and that they will move the mystery towards a resolution.

(Malaysia Airlines B777 pictured in file photo)

FMI: www.pmo.gov.my