Experts ‘highly confident’ MH370 not in search zone

AFP, SYDNEY:  Missing flight MH370 is almost certainly not in the current search zone in the remote Indian Ocean and may be further north, new analysis showed yesterday, but authorities indicated the hunt may not be expanded.No trace has been found in the massive underwater search off Australia for the jet lost en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 passengers and crew.However, more than 20 pieces of debris recovered mostly on western Indian Ocean shorelines have been identified as likely, or definitely, from the doomed Malaysia Airlines plane.
With scouring of the wild 120,000 square kilometre (46,000 square mile) swathe of sea coming to an end, Australian and international experts, including from Boeing and Inmarsat, met in Canberra last month to review their evidence and modelling.
They concluded the plane was not where they have been looking, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which has been leading the mission, said in a report.
“There is a high degree of confidence that the previously identified underwater area searched to date does not contain the missing aircraft,” it said.
The area being searched was initially based on satellite analysis of the jet’s likely trajectory after it diverted from its flight path coupled with aircraft dynamics and meteorological data.

 

Experts highly confident MH370 not in search zone

AFP, SYDNEY: Missing flight MH370 is almost certainly not in the current search zone in the remote Indian Ocean and may be further north, new analysis showed yesterday, but authorities indicated the hunt may not be expanded.No trace has been found in the massive underwater search off Australia for the jet lost en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 passengers and crew.However, more than 20 pieces of debris recovered mostly on western Indian Ocean shorelines have been identified as likely, or definitely, from the doomed Malaysia Airlines plane. With scouring of the wild 120,000 square kilometre (46,000 square mile) swathe of sea coming to an end, Australian and international experts, including from Boeing and Inmarsat, met in Canberra last month to review their evidence and modelling. They concluded the plane was not where they have been looking, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which has been leading the mission, said in a report. There is a high degree of confidence that the previously identified underwater area searched to date does not contain the missing aircraft, it said. The area being searched was initially based on satellite analysis of the jets likely trajectory after it diverted from its flight path coupled with aircraft dynamics and meteorological data.