AUSTRALIA: Australian-contracted survey vessel Fugro Equator has returned to the Indian Ocean to undertake further bathymetric survey work after problems refitting the vessel for underwater search of flight MH370.
The Australian Transport Safety Authority (ATSB) reported this week that the vessel's underwater search had been postponed due to delays in the supply of the deep tow winch and cable required to fit the vessel for its new mission.
Fugro Discovery has also departed the search area for Fremantle Australia to resupply. It is expected to reach port on Sunday, according to the ATSB.
Malaysian-contracted vessel GO Phoenix, meanwhile, is continuing the search in the priority area on the '7th arc' following the aircrafts final satellite communications.
Last week, authorities assured families of the 239 passengers and crew believed to have gone down with the plane last March that the search was continuing.
"Australia continues to lead the search," authorities said in a statement. "We owe this to the families and those on board MH370."
Speaking with IHS Maritime, Mick Kinley, CEO of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which lead the earlier search and rescue mission in April said it was "pretty much conclusive" that the aircraft was somewhere in the 7th arc.
"It's a long arc," he said. "But we are committed to looking. We are certainly not giving up hope."
Source IHS
Topic: Delays hamper MH370 search (Read 1602 times)