Perth: Australia today said the intense aerial search to locate the missing Malaysian plane has ended, as it dismissed a marine exploration company's claim that it found possible aircraft wreckage in the Bay of Bengal.
After seven weeks of a fruitless aerial hunt, the multi-national air search is over. But some ships will stay on the Indian Ocean to gather any debris that might surface. Over the coming days the vessels that remain on standby for the search will transition to and from the search area.
An Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion also remains on standby. Other vessels and aircraft that have been engaged in the surface and aerial search will now transition to their respective national tasking in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre heading up the search for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has dismissed marine exploration company GeoResonance's claim that it found possible jet wreckage in the northern Bay of Bengal, which is located 5000 kms from the current search area.
The Bay of Bengal is located between India and Myanmar.
“The Australian led search is relying on information from satellite and other data to determine the missing aircraft's location,” the Perth-based JACC said, adding that the location specified by the GeoResonance report “is not within the search arc derived from this data”.
“The joint international team is satisfied that the final resting place of the missing aircraft is in the southerly portion of the search arc,” it said.
