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A Chinese plane on Monday spotted two white, square-shaped objects in an area identified
by satellite imagery as containing possible debris from the missing Malaysian airliner,
while the United States separately prepared to send a specialized device that can locate
black boxes. The crew aboard an IL-76 plane sighted the
object in the southern Indian Ocean and reported the coordinates to the Australian command
center, which is coordinating the multinational search, as well as the Chinese icebreaker
Snow Dragon, which is en route to the area, China's Xinhua News Agency reported.
The spotters saw two larger floating objects and some smaller, white debris scattered over
several square kilometers (miles), the report said. It gave no other details.
Satellite images released by Australia and China had earlier identified possible debris
in the area that may be linked to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on March 8
with 239 people aboard. The U.S. Pacific command said it was sending
a black box locator in case a debris field is located. The Towed Pinger Locator, which
is pulled behind a vessel at slow speeds, has highly sensitive listening capability
so that if the wreck site is located, it can hear the black box pinger down to a depth
of about 20,000 feet (6,100 meters), Cmdr. Chris Budde, a U.S. Seventh Fleet operations
officer, said in a statement. "This movement is simply a prudent effort
to preposition equipment and trained personnel closer to the search area so that if debris
is found we will be able to respond as quickly as possible since the battery life of the
black box's pinger is limited," Budde said. There was no sign the move was linked to any
breakthrough in the mystery of the plane, but rather as a preparation.
The Chinese plane was one of two Ilyushins that joined the search Monday from Perth,
increasing the number of aircraft to 10 from eight a day earlier.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the objects spotted Monday were "within today's
search area and attempts will be made to relocate them."
Bad weather was threatening the search efforts in the area, about 2,500 kilometers (1,550
miles) southwest of Perth. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology reported increased winds, low
cloud and a reduction in visibility on Monday. On Tuesday, a cold front was expected to move
through the search area from the west, bringing showers, more low cloud and less visibility.
Tropical Cyclone Gillian, which is further to the north, will not impact the area.
Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss said "nothing of note" was found Sunday, which
he described as a "fruitless day."