As February comes to a close, we are reminded of a tragedy which saw Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, carrying 239 people, vanishing in thin air on March 8, 2014 shortly after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Beijing.
What was once an extensive two-year $200 million international search might resurrect back to life with new evidence. British aerospace engineer Richard Godfrey told the BBC in December that he believes MH370 might have crashed 1,933 km due west of Perth and is currently laying 4,000m under the water, along a line known as the ‘Broken Ridge’.
Godfrey’s findings were devised using the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) analysis which tracked disturbances the plane had made in radio frequencies across the globe before reaching its resting place.
Subsequently Malaysia is in discussion with Chinese and Australian authorities to initiate a new search mission for the missing flight. In a statement made two days ago, the Transport Ministry is consulting the Australian Transport Safety bureau (ATSB) on the matter after it has finalised a review of Godfrey’s documents.
On Wednesday, ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said the agency has requested Geoscience Australia to review past data and re-validate if any items of interest were detected in the search zone recommended by Godfrey.
“The review will be concluded in the coming weeks and any outcome will be published on the agency’s website.”
“The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has not had a formal involvement in any search for the missing aircraft MH370 since the conclusion of the first underwater search in 2017, has not recommenced a search for the aircraft, and notes that any decision to conduct further searches would be initiated by the Government of Malaysia,” ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said in a statement.
In a latest statement last week, the Malaysian Transport Ministry remains sympathetic to the family members of the victims and is also of the view that careful consideration and study should be given to any new credible evidence which may be put forth to identify the location of the aircraft.
The search for MH370’s wreckage still remains an anomaly to some experts as previous searches could not pinpoint the viable location of the aircraft. The final search was called off in 2018.-TVS
