US Navy Adds Underwater Vehicle to Search for MH 370

March 25, 2014

The US Navy is sending a sonar equipped underwater vehicle to search for the debris of the ill-fated Flight 370 Malaysian Airlines 777 plane, navy officials said Monday.

The decision comes as a result of Malaysian government’s request from the Pentagon to provide underwater surveillance technologies that could aid to locating the missing plane.

With a capability to operate up to three miles under the water surface, the Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) features multiple sonars and cameras that can detect debris and transmit data on their locations to nearby motherships.

In addition, U.S. Pacific Command ordered U.S. Pacific Fleet to move a black box locator into the region on March 24.

A total of six countries are now assisting in the search – Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Japan, China and the Republic of Korea. India has also offered to join the search and recovery operation.

The search and recovery operation for the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean will resume on Wednesday, March 26, according to Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

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Naval Today Staff, March 25, 2014; Image: Bluefin Robotics