Vessel arrives in Western Australia for MH370 search
Bernama
October 5, 2014 21:41 MYT
October 5, 2014 21:41 MYT
An undated handout photo obtained on Sept 29, 2014, shows the Fugro Discovery. The search for MH370 enters a new phase this week with Australian officials "cautiously optimistic" the jet will be found after almost seven months. - AFP Photo/Fugro
The Fugro Discovery has arrived in Fremantle to participate in the search later this week, for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 which disappeared on March 8.
The vessel had fit-out work done in Durban, South Africa before arriving in Western Australia, and will have search equipment, as well as a mission crew mobilised over the next few days, the Australian Associated Press reported.
It is reported that GO Phoenix is due to arrive at its allocated underwater search area Sunday.
The Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre said the vessel would conduct operations in the area for about 12 days before sailing to Fremantle for resupply.
Fugro Equator, which is surveying the search area, is likely to be used as a search vessel when its bathymetric work finishes later this month.
More than 111,000sq km of the search area has been analysed and mapped out so far.
The Beijing-bound Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board, disappeared about an hour after leaving the KL International Airport at 12.41am on March 8.
It was scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 6.30am on the same day.
The fate of those on board Flight MH370 is unknown as the multi-national search for the aircraft whose flight path was believed to have ended in the southern Indian Ocean, has drawn a blank, thus far.