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MH370 search 'in the right place'

MH370 search 'in the right place'

Australia’s crash investigator is confident that it is looking in the right place for MH370 which disappeared without a trace 91 days ago.

Martin Dolan Chief Commissioner for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said he is “confident” that MH370 is near the 7th arc as identified by the Inmarsat satellite data.

And that data has been the subject to an exhaustive independent analysis which verifies the international search teams work.

In a statement, the ATSB said that based on all the independent analysis of satellite communications and aircraft performance, the total extent of the 7th arc reaches from latitude 20 degrees S to 39 degrees S.

“At the time MH370 reached this arc, the aircraft is considered to have exhausted its fuel and to have been descending, said the ATSB.

“As a result, the aircraft is unlikely to be more than 38km to the west or 55km to the east of the arc.”

Mr Dolan said a refinement of the analysis will reduce the underwater search area along this arc to an area of 60,000 sq. km.

The prioritised length of the search area along the arc is expected to be 650km and will almost certainly include the area around the initial zone covered by the Bluefin 21.