Five years on, fate of missing MH370 remains mystery

<p>The painstaking search for missing flight MH370 has uncovered a previously unknown undersea world of volcanoes, deep valleys and soaring ridges, according to detailed maps released by Australia.</p>

<p>Although no trace of the Malaysia Airlines plane was found during the search in the southern Indian Ocean -- the most expensive ever of its kind -- large volumes of data showing a detailed picture of the sea floor had to be collected to guide the probe.</p>

<p>Scientists are hopeful the new maps will give their community greater insight into oceans.</p>

<p>&quot;It is estimated that only 10 to 15 percent of the world&#39;s oceans have been surveyed with the kind of technology used in the search for MH370,&quot; Geoscience Australia&#39;s environmental geoscience chief Stuart Minchin said late Wednesday.</p>

<p>&quot;(That makes) this remote part of the Indian Ocean among the most thoroughly mapped regions of the deep ocean on the planet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;So this data is unique both because of the remote location of the search area, and because of the sheer scale of the area surveyed.&quot;</p>

<p>Minchin said the maps would also be useful for future scientific research, such as oceanographic and habitat modelling.</p>

<p>Australia, Malaysia and China suspended the deep sea hunt in January, almost three years after the Boeing 777 disappeared with 239 people on board.</p>

<p>The hunt -- based on satellite analysis of the jet&#39;s likely trajectory after it diverted from its flight path -- covered a 120,000 square-kilometre (46,000 square mile) designated zone, an area slightly smaller than England.</p>

<p>Two shipwrecks were discovered during the search but no trace of the plane, deepening one the most enduring mysteries of the aviation age.</p>

<p>However, the data revealed ridges six kilometres (3.73 miles) wide and 15 kilometres long that rise 1,500 metres above the sea floor, as well as fault valleys 1,200 metres deep and five kilometres wide.</p>

<p>A second set of data will be released in mid-2018.</p>

<p>While the search for the missing plane has been called off, Canberra has said it could be restarted if new evidence about the specific location&nbsp;of the aircraft emerges.</p>

<p>&quot;We remain hopeful that new information will come to light and that at some point in the future the aircraft will be located,&quot; Australia&#39;s Transport Minister Darren Chester said.</p>

<p>Australia&#39;s&nbsp;national science body CSIRO released a report in April confirming that MH370 was &quot;most likely&quot; north of the former search zone.</p>

<p>Three fragments from the plane have been recovered washed up on western Indian Ocean shores, including a two-metre wing part known as a flaperon found on La Reunion island.</p>

<p>Speculation on the cause of the plane&#39;s disappearance has focused primarily on possible hijacking, rogue pilot action or mechanical failure, but nothing has yet been proved.&nbsp;</p>


The data revealed ridges six kilometres (3.73 miles) wide and 15 kilometres long that rise 1,500 metres above the sea floor, as well as fault valleys 1,200 metres deep and five kilometres wide

The painstaking search for missing flight MH370 has uncovered a previously unknown undersea world of volcanoes, deep valleys and soaring ridges, according to detailed maps released by Australia. Although no trace of the Malaysia Airlines plane was found during the search in the southern Indian Ocean -- the most expensive ever of its kind -- large volumes of data showing a detailed picture of the sea floor had to be collected to guide the probe. Scientists are hopeful the new maps will give their community greater insight into oceans. "It is estimated that only 10 to 15 percent of the world's oceans have been surveyed with the kind of technology used in the search for MH370," Geoscience Australia's environmental geoscience chief Stuart Minchin said late Wednesday. "(That makes) this remote part of the Indian Ocean among the most thoroughly mapped regions of the deep ocean on the planet. "So this data is unique both because of the remote location of the search area, and because of the sheer scale of the area surveyed." Minchin said the maps would also be useful for future scientific research, such as oceanographic and habitat modelling. Australia, Malaysia and China suspended the deep sea hunt in January, almost three years after the Boeing 777 disappeared with 239 people on board. The hunt -- based on satellite analysis of the jet's likely trajectory after it diverted from its flight path -- covered a 120,000 square-kilometre (46,000 square mile) designated zone, an area slightly smaller than England. Two shipwrecks were discovered during the search but no trace of the plane, deepening one the most enduring mysteries of the aviation age. However, the data revealed ridges six kilometres (3.73 miles) wide and 15 kilometres long that rise 1,500 metres above the sea floor, as well as fault valleys 1,200 metres deep and five kilometres wide. A second set of data will be released in mid-2018. While the search for the missing plane has been called off, Canberra has said it could be restarted if new evidence about the specific location of the aircraft emerges. "We remain hopeful that new information will come to light and that at some point in the future the aircraft will be located," Australia's Transport Minister Darren Chester said. Australia's national science body CSIRO released a report in April confirming that MH370 was "most likely" north of the former search zone. Three fragments from the plane have been recovered washed up on western Indian Ocean shores, including a two-metre wing part known as a flaperon found on La Reunion island. Speculation on the cause of the plane's disappearance has focused primarily on possible hijacking, rogue pilot action or mechanical failure, but nothing has yet been proved.

MH370 search reveals hidden undersea world

<p>Grieving relatives of MH370 passengers will appeal for the hunt for the missing airliner to continue at a meeting between the Australian and Malaysian transport ministers in Perth on Sunday.</p>

<p>Australia, Malaysia and China on Tuesday suspended the deep sea hunt in the southern Indian Ocean almost three years after the Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board.</p>

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<h5>A statement from the families pointed out that the US$150 million price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777</h5>
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<p>&quot;The MH370 next-of-kin implore the government of Malaysia to use this opportunity to urgently consult and reconsider the decision to suspend the search for MH370,&quot; campaign group Voice370 said in a statement.</p>

<p>&quot;Personal letters appealing for a continuation of search from many family members are to be delivered personally to the Malaysia Minister of Transport during his visit to Perth.&quot;</p>

<p>No trace of the plane has been found in the 120,000 square-kilometre (46,000 square miles) designated search zone.</p>

<p>But three fragments recovered on western Indian Ocean shorelines have been confirmed as coming from MH370.</p>

<p>&quot;I understand the disappointment and frustration felt by the families,&quot; Australia&#39;s Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement.</p>

<p>&quot;The tripartite decision to suspend the search in the absence of any credible new evidence leading to the specific location of the aircraft was not taken lightly,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>The meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Liow Tiong Lai was informal, according to the statement.</p>

<p>Both ministers are set to meet the crew of Fugro Equator -- the last ship to leave the search area off Australia&#39;s west coast -- in Perth on Monday.</p>

<p>Chester has left the door open for future operations, saying Wednesday the search could be revived if there is &quot;credible new evidence&quot; pinpointing MH370&#39;s location.</p>

<p>The Voice370 statement pointed out that the Aus$200 million (US$150 million) price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777-200.</p>

<p>(AFP)<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The search for the Boeing 777 was called off on Tuesday, almost three years after it disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board

Grieving relatives of MH370 passengers will appeal for the hunt for the missing airliner to continue at a meeting between the Australian and Malaysian transport ministers in Perth on Sunday. Australia, Malaysia and China on Tuesday suspended the deep sea hunt in the southern Indian Ocean almost three years after the Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board. A statement from the families pointed out that the US$150 million price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777 × "The MH370 next-of-kin implore the government of Malaysia to use this opportunity to urgently consult and reconsider the decision to suspend the search for MH370," campaign group Voice370 said in a statement. "Personal letters appealing for a continuation of search from many family members are to be delivered personally to the Malaysia Minister of Transport during his visit to Perth." No trace of the plane has been found in the 120,000 square-kilometre (46,000 square miles) designated search zone. But three fragments recovered on western Indian Ocean shorelines have been confirmed as coming from MH370. "I understand the disappointment and frustration felt by the families," Australia's Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement. "The tripartite decision to suspend the search in the absence of any credible new evidence leading to the specific location of the aircraft was not taken lightly," he added. The meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Liow Tiong Lai was informal, according to the statement. Both ministers are set to meet the crew of Fugro Equator -- the last ship to leave the search area off Australia's west coast -- in Perth on Monday. Chester has left the door open for future operations, saying Wednesday the search could be revived if there is "credible new evidence" pinpointing MH370's location. The Voice370 statement pointed out that the Aus$200 million (US$150 million) price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777-200. (AFP)

MH370 families plead for search to continue

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Five years on, fate of missing MH370 remains mystery

MH370 search reveals hidden undersea world

MH370 families plead for search to continue