International vessels searching for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on Tuesday were unable to reacquire electronic pulse signals detected by search teams on Saturday and Sunday.
Even without the presence of the signals, which officials have described as consistent with pings transmitted by aircraft black boxes, divers and ships continued to search the southern Indian Ocean for any sign of debris from Flight MH370 on Tuesday. That may be their best hope, considering that the batteries of the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder were estimated to expire sometime on Monday.
Despite renewed hopes of finding Flight MH370 upon the official announcement by the Australian Joint Agency Coordination Center that pings consistent with aircraft black box pings were detected, officials say that the initial pings detected have yet to be verified as related to Flight MH370.
“It could take some days before the information is available to establish whether these detections can be confirmed as being from MH370. In very deep oceanic water, nothing happens fast,” head of the Australian Joint Agency Coordination Center, Angus Houston, said on Monday at a press conference.
While the signals detected by the towed pinger locator were able to narrow the search for the Boeing 777-200ER’s black boxes, reacquiring the signals initially detected is crucial to further narrowing the search area before the Bluefin 21 submersible robot can be deployed to map out the ocean floor. Houston said the Bluefin 21 would take “many, many days” to cover all the possible locations where the pings may have come from if it were deployed with currently available information, according to the Associated Press.
While the search goes on, families and friends of the 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board the missing Malaysian airliner continue to hold vigils, remaining hopeful that an explanation for the plane’s disappearance will be found.
A family member cries as she and other relatives pray during a candlelight vigil for passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the early morning, at Lido Hotel, in Beijing April 8, 2014, after a month of searching for the missing aircraft.Reuters/Jason LeeA diagram of April 8 search operations for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityA comparison diagram of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 search area to IrelandAustralian Maritime Safety AuthorityAn overview of Australia and current search areas for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityA Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) E-7A Wedgetail and two U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft can be seen on the tarmac at Perth international airport as they prepare to participate in the continuing search in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout via ReutersThe AP-3C Orion returns to RAAF Base Pearce after a day of searching an area in the Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 April 8, 2014. An Australian ship which picked up possible "pings" from the black box recorders of the missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner has been unable to detect any further signals and time is running out to narrow the massive search, officials said on Tuesday.Reuters/Richard PoldenA diagram of April 8 search operations for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityAustralia's Minister of Defense David Johnston and Angus Houston (L), a retired air chief marshal and head of the Australian agency coordinating the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, address the media at the RAAF Base Pearce near Perth April 8, 2014.Reuters/Richard PoldenFamily members light 239 candles for a candlelight vigil for passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the early morning, at Lido Hotel, in Beijing April 8, 2014, after a month of searching for the missing aircraft. An Australian ship searching for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner has picked up signals consistent with the beacons from aircraft black box recorders, in what search officials said on Monday was the most promising lead yet in the month-long hunt. REUTERS/Jason Lee (CHINA - Tags: TRANSPORT DISASTER)Reuters/Jason LeeFamily members pray during a candlelight vigil for passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the early morning, at Lido Hotel, in Beijing April 8, 2014, after a month of searching for the missing aircraft. An Australian ship searching for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner has picked up signals consistent with the beacons from aircraft black box recorders, in what search officials said on Monday was the most promising lead yet in the month-long hunt.Reuters/Jason LeeA fast-response craft from Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield tows Able Seaman Clearance Diver Matthew Johnston as he searches the ocean for debris in the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defense Force April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout Via ReutersFamily members pray around 239 lit candles during a candlelight vigil for passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the early morning, at Lido Hotel, in Beijing April 8, 2014, after a month of searching for the missing aircraft. Reuters/Jason LeeFamily members holding lit candles pray during a candlelight vigil for passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the early morning, at Lido Hotel, in Beijing April 8, 2014, after a month of searching for the missing aircraft. An Australian ship searching for a missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner has picked up signals consistent with the beacons from aircraft black box recorders, in what search officials said on Monday was the most promising lead yet in the monthlong hunt.Reuters/Jason LeeA woman looks at support messages for the relatives of the passengers onboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 inside a shopping mall in Petaling Jaya, near Kuala Lumpur, April 8, 2014.Reuters/Samsul SaidCrew members ride a fast response craft from the Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield as they continue to search for debris in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defense Force April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout via ReutersMaritime Warfare Officer, Sub Lieutenant Officer Samuel Archibald, looks through binoculars on the bridge of the Australian Navy ship HMAS Perth in the southern Indian Ocean during the search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force on April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout via ReutersAble Seaman Clearance Divers Matthew Johnston and Michael Arnold embarked on Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, scan the water for debris in the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout via ReutersAble Seaman Clearance Divers Matthew Johnston and Michael Arnold embarked on Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, scan the water for debris in the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defense Force April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout via ReutersA fast response craft from Australian Defense Vessel Ocean Shield tows Able Seaman Clearance Diver Michael Arnold as he searches the ocean for debris in the search zone in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defense Force April 8, 2014.Australian Defense Force/Handout via Reuters
