Underwater drone fitted with video imaging will help search for MH370

CANBERRA, Australia, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The Dong Hai Jiu 101, a vessel searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the southern Indian Ocean, will begin using an underwater drone fitted with video-imaging capabilities to aid efforts.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, or ATSB, on Tuesday said the Dong Hai Jiu 101 will be fitted with Phoenix International Holding's Remora III remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, which has video cameras.

ROVs have recently been prevented from searching for MH370 due to weather conditions.

"The ROV will be tasked to reacquire and investigate, through video imaging, a range of sonar contacts which have been identified during previous deep tow operations," the ATSB said in a statement. "None of the sonar contacts targeted for reacquisition exhibit the characteristics of a typical aircraft debris field and are therefore not classified as category 1 sonar contacts. However some exhibit man-made properties and therefore must be investigated further to be positively eliminated."

The ATSB said more than 68,000 square miles of the southern Indian Ocean have been searched so far. If MH370 is not found or if no credible evidence is found that could lead to a specific location of the aircraft, the search will be suspended after the completion of the 75,000 square mile search area.

The ATSB predicts the search of the 75,000 square mile area will be completed in January or February due to winter weather conditions.

MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, after leaving Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia en route to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. Malaysian authorities concluded the flight had ended in the Indian Ocean, but no confirmed MH370 debris was found until last year when a right wing flaperon was discovered on Reunion Island, east of Madagascar.