Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Searchers investigate 'credible' ocean debris

Australia was first on the scene to investigate two objects seen on satellite images possibly linked to the missing plane.

By Dave Lancaster |

12:42 20 March 2014

The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is investigated its most 'credible' lead so far - two objects floating on the ocean seen by satellite imagery.

The area in the southern Indian Ocean is 1,550 miles from Perth. It takes the Australians three hours to get out to the rough location with only three hours to search before returning again.

A Norwegian ship and help from New Zealand and the US is also aiding the search for the passenger jet which has been missing since March 8th.

The largest object appeared to be about 24m (78ft) in size.

As the satellite images are days old, it's likely that the objects will have drifted since then likening the search to looking for a needle in a haystack.

At a news conference on Thursday, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the sighting was a "credible lead".

Selamat Omar, father of one of the passengers on the missing plane, stated to reporters in Malaysia: "All the information we're getting is fine, but now what we really need is proof whether it is the plane or not... We need confirmation from the Australian government."

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when contact was lost. If the missing objects belong to the plane, then it was deliberately taken off course - a theory which is looking increasingly likely due to the tracking systems all being disabled.