Australian Defence Force Supports Search for Missing Flight

The ADF has provided four AP-3C Orion patrol aircraft to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)-led search of the Southern Indian Ocean for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

These aircraft have concentrated at RAAF Base Pearce and are undertaking tasking.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion aircraft and a US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft joined the Australian aircraft in Western Australia and commenced tasking in support of AMSA on 19 March.

The ADF has tasked HMAS Success to sail to the search area to conduct a surface sweep. HMAS Success is expected to arrive in the area late on 22 March.

A RAAF C-130J Hercules aircraft flew a sortie into the search area on 20 March to drop marker buoys. These buoys will allow AMSA to refine its search area by better understanding drift patterns in the region.

AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre Australia is coordinating the search in the Southern Indian Ocean for the Malaysia Airlines aircraft.

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Press Release, March 21, 2014; Image: ADF