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New images set to push MH370 search into high gear

PERTH — The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 may be poised for a breakthrough soon, with Malaysia revealing that up to 122 objects have been detected at sea and search operations are on the verge of switching into a higher gear.

A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion returns to Pearce Air Base after a search for Flight MH370 over the southern Indian Ocean yesterday. Photo: Reuters

A Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion returns to Pearce Air Base after a search for Flight MH370 over the southern Indian Ocean yesterday. Photo: Reuters

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PERTH — The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 may be poised for a breakthrough soon, with Malaysia revealing that up to 122 objects have been detected at sea and search operations are on the verge of switching into a higher gear.

With the weather clearing after search operations were halted a day earlier following gale force winds and heavy swells, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) pilots told reporters yesterday evening at Pearce Air Base north of Perth that the weather over the next three days may present better conditions and visibility. A total of 12 planes and five ships from the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand are participating in the search, and more resources are expected to arrive soon to join the search.

The expected ramping-up of operations coincided with Malaysia’s announcement yesterday that objects as large as 23m in length had been spotted on satellite images, about 2,500km from Perth, in what was described as “the most credible lead that we have”.

“We have now had four separate satellite leads, from Australia, China and France, showing possible debris,” Malaysian Defence Minister and Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur. “It is now imperative that we link the debris to MH370.” The latest images were captured by France-based Airbus Defence and Space on Sunday and showed 122 potential objects in a 400-sq-km area of ocean, Reuters reported. The objects varied in size from one metre to 23m in length and are visible through gaps in clouds, Mr Hishammuddin said.

He added that some of the objects “appeared to be bright, possibly indicating solid materials’’.

Various floating objects have been spotted in the area by planes over the last week, including yesterday, when the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said three more objects were seen. The authority said two objects seen from a civil aircraft appeared to be rope, and that a New Zealand military plane spotted a blue object.

None of the objects were seen on a second pass, a frustration that has been repeated several times in the hunt for the missing jet. Malaysia forwarded the French imagery to Australia yesterday but it was unclear whether this was in time for yesterday’s search efforts. It remains uncertain whether any of the objects seen came from the plane or anything else.

Malaysia announced on Monday that a mathematical analysis of the final known satellite signals from the plane showed that it had crashed in the sea, killing everyone on board. The new data greatly reduced the search zone, but it remains huge — an area estimated at 1.6 million sq km, more than 2,000 times the size of Singapore.

Yesterday, the air base in Perth was a hive of activity, even though nothing had been recovered since MH370 went missing 19 days ago. “We investigated a couple of visual contacts but it turned out to be just marine mammal activity,” said RAAF Flying Officer Peter Moore.

We’re throwing everything we have at this search,’’ Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Nine Network television yesterday. He vowed that “we will do what we can to solve this riddle”.

In the rest of Perth, efforts are being made in anticipation of the grieving relatives expected to arrive. Organisations such as the Chung Wah Association, the largest Chinese organisation in Western Australia with about 14,000 members, said it is “on standby” to receive the grieving relatives and render assistance where necessary.

Speaking to TODAY, Chung Wah President Sammy Yap said he was awaiting details from the state and federal governments who are coordinating the efforts. He said the association will be happy to provide assistance, such as translation, attending to the families’ needs and helping organise religious ceremonious through their contacts. He also offered the association’s Northbridge premises, which is near the city centre, which could serve as a reception centre.

Yesterday, Australian Hotels Association CEO Bradley Woods said he expects about 1,000 people to come to Perth. While there has been no official word as to whether the families will fly here, he added that the association, which represents some 80 per cent of hotels in Western Australia, would be able to provide an overview of the hotel rooms available.

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