Stormy weather. Fugro Discovery is now heading back to WA with a sick crew member. Picture: James Hancock/ATSB
A THIRD vessel will join the search for MH370 bringing with it super sensitive equipment to boost the chances of finally finding the missing aircraft.
Havila Harmony is currently undergoing calibration trials off the coast of Fremantle in Western Australia before heading to the remote search area in the Southern Indian Ocean on Saturday.
Unlike Fugro Equator and Fugro Discovery, Havila Harmony has an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) on board, capable of surveying the most difficult portions of the ocean floor.
A statement from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau acknowledged that deep tow systems used by the other ships may “not be able to search such areas as effectively”.
Dud gear? ... The Dragon Prince deep tow fish doesn’t have the same sensitivities as AUVs. Picture: ATSBSource:Supplied
By the Australian government’s own calculations, about six-months of funding remains for the search, with operations due to wrap up in April or May.
Just one vessel is presently conducting the underwater search after an on board medical emergency forced Fugro Discovery back to port this week.
The ship is due to arrive in Fremantle on Friday with a crew member experiencing “severe pain”.
It is the second time this month Fugro Discovery has lost search time because of medical issues.
In early November, the ship was out of action for ten-days when a crew member suffered suspected appendicitis.
Tough job ... Waves crash over the back deck of Fugro Discovery in the search for MH370. Picture: ATSBSource:Supplied
“The risk of a serious illness or injury on board a search vessel is a real possibility and for this reason the vessels have a doctor on board with appropriate medical equipment and supplies,” said the ATSB report.
“The risk of a medical emergency is partly mitigated with regular health checks for the crew and a comprehensive system of safe working procedures, however incidents can and will occur.”
More than 70,000 square kilometres of ocean floor has now been scoured within the 120,000 square kilometre priority search zone.
No trace of the Boeing 777 has yet been found but a British airline captain, Simon Hardy, has predicted the plane should be discovered in coming weeks because the vessels were finally looking in the right place.
Needle in a haystack ... A map showing the enormous search area for MH370. Picture: ATSBSource:Supplied
Captain Hardy used mathematical calculations and his knowledge of Boeing 777s to pinpoint the most likely final resting place of the Malaysia Airlines’ plane, as about 100 nautical miles from the southern end of the seventh arc.
The ATSB has acknowledged his work, but indicated they were planning to look in the area anyway.
It is now almost 21 months since MH370 disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
There were 239 people on board including six Australians.
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