Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
It's the latest sign of hope in the search for the missing Malaysia AIrlines flight 370.
"We have a number of very credible leads. There is increasing hope, no more than hope,
that we might be on the road to discovering what did happen." (Via BBC SaveFrom.net)
That was Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. In what officials are calling a "possible
new lead," a civilian aircraft spotted a wooden pallet, along with other debris, in the search
zone Saturday. (Via CNN)
According to Fox News, wooden pallets are often used in shipping, but can also be found
in the cargo containers of planes.
According to the Australian government, a search crew was sent to the location where
the pallet was spotted but only reported seeing a clump of seaweed. (Via Australian Maritime
Safety Authority)
Malaysian authorities say France has also released a newly-analyzed satellite image
showing possible debris and passed it along to the Australians coordinating the search.
And another possible clue from China — state-run media released this image showing what some
experts said looked to be plane wreckage. Search teams Saturday were not able to find
those floating objects. (Via Twitter / @cctvnews)
Sunday the search effort was stepped up considerably. Two Chinese aircraft joined six jets already
looking for missing debris in the Indian Ocean, just southwest of Perth. (Via CCTV SaveFrom.net)
Of the 239 passengers on board the plane, more than two-thirds were Chinese nationals.
China has repeatedly accused the Malaysian government of dragging its feet on the investigation.
(Via CBS SaveFrom.net)
But it's Australia now taking the lead on the international search. Australian authorities
say they're using mostly human spotters with binoculars, instead of radar, to scan the
ocean. But rough winds and sea fog have reportedly complicated their efforts. (Via 9 News SaveFrom.net)
And time is of the essence. The plane's lithium-ion batteries are expected to run out by April
6 — making it impossible for satellites to pick up any pinging from the plane's flight
recorders after that point.