World
Updated : Apr 09, 2014, 08:57 AM IST
The search for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner continued on Wednesday, as the US Navy said it had been unable to relocate possible "pings" from the black box recorders that had injected fresh urgency into the international effort.
A US Navy "towed pinger locator" (TPL) onboard Australia's Ocean Shield on the weekend picked up two signals consistent with black box locator beacons - the first for more than two hours and the second for about 13 minutes - at the weekend. Angus Houston, head of the Australian agency coordinating the search for Malaysia Airlines
But the batteries in the beacons have already reached the end of their 30-day expected life, making efforts to swiftly locate them all the more critical.
Authorities say evidence suggests the plane was deliberately diverted by someone familiar with the aircraft, but have not ruled out mechanical problems.
Analysis of satellite data led investigators to conclude the Boeing
FRESH DOUBTS ABOUT VERACITY OF "PINGS"
Up to 11 military aircraft, four civilian aircraft and 14 ships are planned to take part in the search on Wednesday, with scattered showers expected in the search area.
"I can cover in one day with TPL (towed pinger locator) the amount of area it will take me to cover with Bluefin in six days," the US Navy officer said. "So if I am deploying Bluefin now I am basically saying that I don't have confidence in the TPL that it will detect the signals anymore," he said.
- Interactive graphic on MH370
- Tools to locate wreckage