MH370 search hits another setback with lost equipment, poor weather and sick crew members

ATROCIOUS weather is set to push the MH370 search into spring or even summer with next to no progress made in the last eight weeks.

The latest update from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau reveals 110,000 square kilometres of the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean has now been covered, leaving 10,000 square kilometres to go.

• But highly sensitive sonar equipment needed to scour deep crevices in the seabed can only be deployed in the calmer weather associated with spring or summer.

“In the event of further poor weather, or delays as a result of unforeseeable problems such as equipment failure or crew incapacity, searching the entire 120,000 square kilometre search area may continue well beyond the winter months,” said the update.

• Malaysia is footing the bill for the search now that Australia’s $90 million contribution has been spent and no further funds were allocated in the federal budget.

Fugro Equator is currently the only vessel in the search area, after Fugro Discovery was forced to return to Fremantle for maintenance and Dong Hui Jiu 101 was delayed by crew illness.

The massive underwater search was originally expected to finish by June but unforeseen issues such as illness and lost equipment have slowed down progress, along with bad weather.

Once the entire 120,000 square kilometre priority zone is searched, the operation is expected to be called off in the absence of new evidence about the Boeing 777’s final resting place.

Ministers from Australia, Malaysia and China will meet on July 19 in Kuala Lumpur to make a final decision on the “way forward”...
news.com.au
6/7/16
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• Officials say debris found on Australian island not from MH370

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•  Malaysia Airlines Flight 370