Satellite spots 122 objects in search for missing Malaysian jet
The images, given to the Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency by Airbus, show several light-coloured objects.A further 122 objects potentially from the missing Malaysian plane have been identified by satellite, the country\’s acting transport minister has said.
The images, taken on 23 March, showed objects up to 23m (75ft) in length, Hishammuddin Hussein said.
No confirmed debris from the Boeing 777 has yet been identified since it vanished from civilian radar screens on March 8 with 239 people on board.
"If it is confirmed to be MH370, at least we can then move on to the next phase of deep sea survelliance search,\’\’ Hishammuddin said.
He said the latest images were taken on Sunday and relayed by French-based Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Europe\’s Airbus Group, whose businesses include the operation of satellites and satellite communications.
Various floating objects have been spotted by planes and satellites over the past week, including earlier on Wednesday, when the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) tweeted that another three objects had been spotted. AMSA said two objects seen from a civil aircraft appeared to be rope, and that a New Zealand military plane spotted a blue object.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott vowed his country will do "all it can" to recover Malaysia Airlines flight and bring closure to the families of the victims.
Prime Minister Abbott says authorities are "throwing everything we have" at the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
"I have pledged to Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia full Australian cooperation in the recovery and investigation operation. The crash zone is as close to nowhere as it\’s possible to be, but it\’s closer to Australia than anywhere else," said Abbott.
Abbott joined the Australian parliament in a moment of silence for the 239 people on board the plane, who are presumed dead.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) says 12 aircraft are taking part in Wednesday\’s operations.
Malaysian officials said satellite data shows the plane almost certainly crashed, though no debris has been located and confirmed.
The area being searched for the plane has narrowed, but is still, at around 1.6 million square kilometers, almost unfathomably large.
Australian officials said Wednesday\’s search will focus on a zone 80,000 square kilometers. Ships from countries including the U.S., China, and Australia are taking part.
Several floating objects have been located in satellite photos or from planes, but have not been identified as debris from the missing Boeing 777.
Meanwhile, China has demanded that Malaysia turn over the satellite data used to conclude that the jetliner had crashed.
Beijing sent Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui as a special envoy to Malaysia to meet with officials, including Prime Minister Najib, on Wednesday.
Two-thirds of the plane\’s passengers were Chinese. Many of their families have refused to accept Malaysia\’s determination that the plane crashed.
On Tuesday, dozens of Chinese relatives staged a protest outside the Malaysian embassy in Beijing to demand more information. Of the 239 people on board flight MH370, 153 were Chinese nationals.
The plane went missing without a distress call on March 8, hours after departing Kuala Lumpur for Beijing.
Source: Agencies
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