less than 1m ago
Heres a summary of the latest developments:
Australias maritime search agency is focusing all of its resources on finding two objects picked up on satellite images that they believe could be related to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. One of the objects is said to around 24 metres long.
Australia has despatched four search planes and two ships to the area. So far theres has been no word on the results of those searches. A US search flight in the areas found nothing. Australia has received a number of offers of assistance from other nations to assist in the search operation. The UK is sending a ship to the area.
The Malaysian authorities leading the hunt for the plane have described Australian satellite images as a credible lead. But they cautioned that they had yet to be verified citing an earlier false lead from Chinese satellite images.
Despite the apparent breakthrough in the southern Indian ocean the search in the northern corridor continues. Malaysias acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said: Until we are certain that we have located MH370, search and rescue operations will continue in both corridors. He confirmed that two search aircraft have been sent as far north west as Kazakhstan.
Experts warn that the possible debris could have drifted dozens of miles since images satellite images were taken on Sunday. The search operation is being further hampered by poor visibility in the area.
The families of missing Chinese passengers have insisted that their loved ones could still be alive. The Chinese authorities have sent police and ambulances to the Beijing hotel where many of the relatives are waiting for news.
@ABC correspondent
David WrightVerified account @WrightUps The electronics on board the P-8 - Top Secret. We have to surrender phones, iPads, laptops & cameras before boarding pic.twitter.com/9yqqyn823m