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| Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Australia checking two pieces of debris floating in middle of Indian Ocean | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Search and rescue teams are on their way to a remote location four hours from the Australian coast after a satellite spotted two objects that could possibly be linked to missing Flight MH370. One of the pieces of suspected debris could be as long as 24 metres. | Search and rescue teams are on their way to a remote location four hours from the Australian coast after a satellite spotted two objects that could possibly be linked to missing Flight MH370. One of the pieces of suspected debris could be as long as 24 metres. |
| “This is a lead. Probably the best lead we have right now,” said John Young, of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). “But we need to get there, find them, see them.” | “This is a lead. Probably the best lead we have right now,” said John Young, of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). “But we need to get there, find them, see them.” |
| He said this morning that a number of ships and planes had been sent to the location, one of which was due to arrive as he spoke. But he also warned that nothing could be assumed: the spot where the objects were spotted was located 1,600 miles south-west from city of Perth and that finding anything would be a major challenge. Poor weather was not helping the issue. | He said this morning that a number of ships and planes had been sent to the location, one of which was due to arrive as he spoke. But he also warned that nothing could be assumed: the spot where the objects were spotted was located 1,600 miles south-west from city of Perth and that finding anything would be a major challenge. Poor weather was not helping the issue. |
| And he reminded anyone desperate for a piece of information 14 days after the Malaysian Airlines plane and its 239 passengers and crew went missing, that the objects might not be related. “We have been in this business of doing search and rescue and using sat images before and they do not always turn out to be related to the search even if they look good, so we will hold our views on that until they are sited close-up,” he said. | And he reminded anyone desperate for a piece of information 14 days after the Malaysian Airlines plane and its 239 passengers and crew went missing, that the objects might not be related. “We have been in this business of doing search and rescue and using sat images before and they do not always turn out to be related to the search even if they look good, so we will hold our views on that until they are sited close-up,” he said. |
| The point was reinforced by Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott, when he announced in parliament “new and credible” information had come to light. A number of sightings of possible debris have perviously been investigated in the search for the plane but so far none of them have proved to be linked. | The point was reinforced by Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott, when he announced in parliament “new and credible” information had come to light. A number of sightings of possible debris have perviously been investigated in the search for the plane but so far none of them have proved to be linked. |
| “The task to locate these objects will be extremely difficult and they may not turn out to be linked to the search for Flight 370,” said Mr Abbott, who later spoke with his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Razak. | “The task to locate these objects will be extremely difficult and they may not turn out to be linked to the search for Flight 370,” said Mr Abbott, who later spoke with his Malaysian counterpart, Najib Razak. |
| Officials said the objects had been spotted on satellite imagery and that an assessment completed on Thursday by the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation suggested they could be pieces of debris. They were spotted in the area where Australians have been searching in the last two days. | Officials said the objects had been spotted on satellite imagery and that an assessment completed on Thursday by the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation suggested they could be pieces of debris. They were spotted in the area where Australians have been searching in the last two days. |
| In addition to the Australian assets being dispatched, officials said that planes from New Zealand and the US were on their way to the area. | In addition to the Australian assets being dispatched, officials said that planes from New Zealand and the US were on their way to the area. |
| Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers. Twenty-six nations have been involved in a major search for the missing plane, which Malaysia says was intentionally diverted. | Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers. Twenty-six nations have been involved in a major search for the missing plane, which Malaysia says was intentionally diverted. |
| Malaysia’s Transport Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, said in a statement that Mr Abbott had spoken with Mr Najib on Thursday morning and informed him about the objects that had been spotted. “At this stage, Australian officials have yet to establish whether these objects are indeed related to the search for MH370,” he said. | Malaysia’s Transport Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, said in a statement that Mr Abbott had spoken with Mr Najib on Thursday morning and informed him about the objects that had been spotted. “At this stage, Australian officials have yet to establish whether these objects are indeed related to the search for MH370,” he said. |
| Officials in Australia said a number of aircraft had been sent to the location, four hours flying time from Perth. A Royal Australian Air Force Orion aircraft arrived in the area about 1.50pm local time. | Officials in Australia said a number of aircraft had been sent to the location, four hours flying time from Perth. A Royal Australian Air Force Orion aircraft arrived in the area about 1.50pm local time. |
| Royal Australian Air Force Airborne Electronics Analyst Flight Sergeant Tom Stewart from 10 Squadron watching a radar screen for signs of debris on board an AP-3C Orion over the Southern Indian Ocean | Royal Australian Air Force Airborne Electronics Analyst Flight Sergeant Tom Stewart from 10 Squadron watching a radar screen for signs of debris on board an AP-3C Orion over the Southern Indian Ocean |
| A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion, a US Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft and another Australian Orion were due to arrive later. A Hercules C130 had been dispatched to drop marker buoys to assist in drift modelling. “They will provide an ongoing reference point if the task of relocating the objects becomes protracted,” said a statement by the AMSA. | A Royal New Zealand Air Force Orion, a US Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft and another Australian Orion were due to arrive later. A Hercules C130 had been dispatched to drop marker buoys to assist in drift modelling. “They will provide an ongoing reference point if the task of relocating the objects becomes protracted,” said a statement by the AMSA. |
| In the past two weeks, investigators in Malaysia, assisted by foreign intelligence agencies, have been scrutinising the backgrounds of both the crew and the passengers on the missing jet, but have so far identified no evidence of terror or other potentially relevant links. | In the past two weeks, investigators in Malaysia, assisted by foreign intelligence agencies, have been scrutinising the backgrounds of both the crew and the passengers on the missing jet, but have so far identified no evidence of terror or other potentially relevant links. |
| Investigators had identified two corridors of territory - one to the north and one to the south - spanning the possible positions of the plane more than seven hours after it took off for Beijing. Earlier this week, Australia was asked by Malaysia to take responsibility for the “southern corridor” search. | Investigators had identified two corridors of territory - one to the north and one to the south - spanning the possible positions of the plane more than seven hours after it took off for Beijing. Earlier this week, Australia was asked by Malaysia to take responsibility for the “southern corridor” search. |
| The plane lost contact with controllers over the South China Sea as it crossed from Malaysian to Vietnamese air space. Malaysian officials say it then turned west and its last position - according to Malaysian military radar - was over the Malacca Straits, in the opposite direction to its planned flight path. | The plane lost contact with controllers over the South China Sea as it crossed from Malaysian to Vietnamese air space. Malaysian officials say it then turned west and its last position - according to Malaysian military radar - was over the Malacca Straits, in the opposite direction to its planned flight path. |
| The FBI has been called into assist in trying to recover data deleted from the flight simulator owned by the plane’s chief pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah. | The FBI has been called into assist in trying to recover data deleted from the flight simulator owned by the plane’s chief pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah. |
| Mr Hishammuddin, the Transport Minister, said earlier this week that the the captain of the plane should be considered innocent until proved otherwise and said that members of his family were co-operating with the investigation. | Mr Hishammuddin, the Transport Minister, said earlier this week that the the captain of the plane should be considered innocent until proved otherwise and said that members of his family were co-operating with the investigation. |