MH370: Malaysia enters 'next phase' of detecting the plane's blackbox

Malaysia is preparing itself for a lengthy search for the missing MH370 aircraft that could stretch on for months or even years, even as it said that it was now entering the ‘next phase’ to find the blackbox of the aircraft.

Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein on Thursday hinted at a long, tedious, search akin to that of the Air France Flight 447 tragedy.

In 2009, Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean during its trip from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris where all

216 passengers and 12 crew members on board died.

Despite having located the first pieces within five days after the crash, the search of the aircraft's full wreckage and bodies was only concluded in May 2011, together with the retrieval of the black box.

“We are now going into the realm of finding the blackbox,” Hishammuddin told reporters during a press conference held at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) on Thursday.

“As with the case of Air France 447, even though they knew the location, it took them two years,” he said.

Explaining why he was increasingly making the comparison to Air France 447 in recent days, Hishammuddin said it was because the search has dragged on for many days.

Another reason, he said, was that the Indian Ocean, where the search for MH370 has intensified, was also somewhat similar to the Atlantic Ocean.

The “next phase” of the search, he said, would be activated in the event that the latest satellite images lead to finding the actual Boeing 777-200ER.

This phase would continue to be a multinational operation that include deep sea searches, including submarine technology, he said.

“We are (also) looking into the possibility of sonar. The assets, if you are talking about pinging locators, not many countries have that capability,” Hishammuddin said, adding that Malaysian submarines do not have such sophisticated technology as well.

French authorities, he said, had gone into a different phase after 30 days of search.

Currently, 26 countries are involved in the search for MH370, covering an enormous area the size of Australia itself — at 2.24 million nautical miles (7.68 milllion sq kilometers).

Earlier on Thursday, Australia revealed a potentially breakthrough lead of two objects spotted by satellites that has led to an intensified search in its location, some 2,500km southwest of Perth, in the southern Indian Ocean.

Hishammuddin said that currently 18 ships, 29 aircraft and 6 ship-borne helicopters have been deployed along the northern and southern corridors.

China, he said, is also “using every means possible, including 21 satellites”, to search the area within its borders.

Asked about complaints from family of those on board the flight, Hishammuddin repeated that all efforts are being done to help the families.

“I will tell (the families) whatever we find. Our sympathies and our heart are with them all the time. The French time had to deal with the families for two years…How to deal with the raw emotions. I do feel for them, I say that on record, I do care, we can understand.. or… try to understand,” said Hishammuddin.