MH370 search expanded to Indian Ocean
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The search for flight MH370 turned west again yesterday, towards the Indian Ocean, as potential leads were dismissed and new lines of inquiry opened up.
Twenty-four hours after the focus of the investigation returned to the eastern side of the Malay Peninsula, when China posted images seemingly showing debris in the South China Sea, the search has now moved west again, and expanded to the Indian Ocean. The move follows unspecified information from the US.
“It’s my understanding that based on some new information that’s not necessarily conclusive… an additional search area may be opened in the Indian Ocean.” White House spokesperson Jay Carney was quoted saying by ABC News. “We are consulting with international partners about the appropriate assets to,” he added.
The US broadcaster also cited a Pentagon official as saying that there is an “indication” that the plane could have crashed into the Indian Ocean. While it is not clear at this stage what this lead is based on, it marks a significant expansion of the investigation’s search area, which had only previously extended as far west as the Malacca Strait and Andaman Sea. India and Thailand are among the countries now searching these areas.
Yesterday’s publication of three Chinese satellite images showing what appeared to be large pieces of debris floating in the South China Sea has been dismissed as a “mistake”. In a press conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Malaysia’ acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the pictures were not related to flight MH370. He also countered reports by the Wall Street Journal that the Boeing 777 could have flown on for several hours after its last recorded transmission at 0107.
But the fact that the US is now widening the search to the Indian Ocean would indicate that the Pentagon believes the flight MH370 could have been in the air for much longer than previously thought.
Malaysia’s air force chief had earlier suggested that the plane could have been detected close to Pulau Perak, in the Malacca Strait, although he later distanced himself from the claim.
But with the investigation switching from the east of Malay Peninsula to the west, then back to the east, and now west again, the search effort for MH370 increasingly resembles a cat chasing shadows on a wall. And almost a week on from the disappearance, hopes of finding any of the 239 passengers and crew alive now appear very slim.
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