Decision makers ... Malaysia, Australia and China hold regular briefings about lost flight MH370. Picture: News Corp Australia
THE search for missing passenger jet MH370 will not be extended beyond the current area in the southern Indian Ocean despite a long-awaited $20 million contribution from China.
Australia’s government was yesterday awaiting more details of the funding, reportedly offered by Premier Li Keqiang during a meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Heavy hitters ... Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, right, and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Picture: APSource:AP
Chinese media reported the offer with the headline “China to continue to fund MH370 search”.
China has copped much criticism in the Australian media for failing to contribute a cent to the costly underwater search despite playing a key role in decision making.
Of the 239 people on board MH370, 153 were from China, 38 from Malaysia and six from Australia.
Australia is primarily responsible for the search because the plane’s final resting place is thought to be in Australian waters.
Costly search ... The mission to find MH370 has not been smooth sailing. Picture: ATSBSource:Supplied
A total of $90 million has been budgeted for the search by the Australian government, and Malaysia has kicked in $75 million.
A spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss whose department is overseeing the search, said details of China’s funding contribution were yet to be settled.
He said it was not clear if the contribution would be in the form of “cash” or a search boat.
“China has previously offered to provide a vessel for the search and final arrangements for the vessel’s availability are yet to be completed,” said the spokesman.
“The funding contribution would enable the existing priority search area of 120,000 square kilometres to be completed.
Discovery ... The MH370 search hasn’t found a plane but it did find an ancient shipwreck. Picture: JACC/Australian GovernmentSource:Supplied
“It does not involve an extension of the search area or a change in the approach to the search.”
The Australian, Malaysian and Chinese Governments have previously agreed not to extend the search without new evidence or information about MH370’s whereabouts.
Up to four vessels have been working in the southern Indian Ocean for more than a year to try to find debris from the Boeing 777, and are expected to complete their work by mid-2016.
The only trace of the aircraft that has been recovered, was a flaperon found washed up on Reunion Island in July.
MH370 vanished on March 8, 2014 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
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