New Search For MH370 Will Cover 23,000 Square Miles

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott expressed optimism in regard to the search for Malaysia Airlines flight 370. He said there's a "reasonable chance" of finding the plane during the 23,000 square mile search of the ocean floor — about the size of Lake Huron.

Abbott said the search will begin within the next month or so, and could take up to a year. He stated:

"They are now going to search the entire probable impact zone which is, from memory, something like 60,000 square kilometres (23,000 square miles) of the ocean floor, off the coast of Western Australia. If the plane is down there – and the best expert advice is that it did go into the water somewhere in this arc off the coast of Western Australia – if the plane is down there, there is a reasonable chance that we'll find it because we are using the best possible technology.

We're determined to do the right thing by the Australian families who lost their loved ones in this plane, we're determined to do the right thing by all of the bereaved families. And we've got a long way to go before we're going to give this one up."

Six Australians were on board Malaysia Airlines flight 370 when it disappeared inexplicably on March 8th. The new search will scour the ocean floor, using cameras and sonar.

Meanwhile in this saga, NBC reports that thieves have been hacking into the bank accounts of four victims from the flight. A total of $35,000 was stolen from two Chinese passengers, one Malaysian passenger, and a flight attendant. Two bank employees were arrested last Thursday, and the search is on for their Pakistani accomplice.

Source: The Australian

Top Image: Getty