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MH370: China to join search in Indian Ocean

CANBERRA: China will join the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 by sending a ship to the search area in the southern Indian Ocean, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss announced on Friday that the Chinese ship, Dong Hai Jiu 101, will be deployed in February to assist in the Australian-led search operation.

“The Australian government welcomes the Dong Hai Jiu 101 to the search effort and thanks the government of the People’s Republic of China for its generous contribution,” Truss said in a statement.

The deputy prime minister said the ship, offered to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull by Premier Li Keqiang of the People’s Republic of China in November 2015, will undertake search operations in the southern Indian Ocean.

Truss said the ship has recently been refitted and will be equipped with the ProSAS-60 – a 6000-meter depth-rated synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) towed system to be used in search operations.

“The ProSAS-60 will be operated by Phoenix International Holdings and Hydrospheric Solutions.

Both companies have experience in the search for MH370 having previously operated on the search vessel GO Phoenix.”

“The ship is currently in Singapore for mobilisation and is expected to depart for Australia on Sunday (January 31).

It will commence operations in the search area towards the end of February,” he said.

Truss, who is also the Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, said the ship will supplement the work of Fugro Discovery, Fugro Equator and Havila Harmony to search for MH370 in the 120,000-square kilometre search area.

Flight MH370 disappeared with 239 people, including 154 Chinese and six Australians, on board on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014.–BERNAMA

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