A highlight of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been the level of international co-operation which has brought together the navies of Australia, China, United Kingdom and Malaysia in a common cause.
The co-operation between navies presented an opportunity for People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) Liaison Officer, Commander Lin Wan, to embark in the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Success from the destroyer Haikou (DDG-171) early on the morning of 9 April 2014.
“My task as a Liaison Officer onboard Success is to facilitate improved co-ordination between the two task groups in order to achieve the same goal which is to find evidence leading to the location of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370,” Commander Wan said.
“I hope my visit will increase understanding between our two navies and our ability to learn from each other,” he said.
Commander Wan is the first PLA-N officer to operate at the tactical level with the Royal Australian Navy by embarking in a Fleet unit during an operation.
Joint Task Force 658 has been established by the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to coordinate supporting military forces engaged in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Under the name Operation Sourhern Indian Ocean, ADF assets from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force have joined the search for debris, recovery and investigation of the missing flight.
[mappress] Press Release, April 14, 2014, Image: Australian MoD