MH370: Australian push

Perth, Western Australia could become the centre of the investigation into the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with Australia to push for all recovered pieces of the aircraft to be delivered to Fremantle.

According to The West Australian Australian authorities will urge Malaysia to allow fragments of the Boeing 777 to be reassembled –if in Australia should they be found.

In the case of the crash of Air France 447 the black boxes provided sufficient data to work out the cause of the crash and the wreckage was left at the bottom of the South Atlantic Ocean.

Bodies however bodies were recovered.

Under the Australia plan, Malaysia would still lead the probe, but the investigation would be headquartered in Australia supported by experts from around the world.

Malaysia has been criticized for its handling of the investigation, with families of the missing claiming authorities has been slow to pursue leads and issue timely information.

There has also been concerned about conflicting information.

Search area for flight MH370 was dramatically shifted much closer to Perth yesterday after new analysis suggested the aircraft had not travelled as far south as had been thought.

Approximately 319,000 square km in size the new area is located about 1850km west of Perth.

According to the Australian Transport Safety Board’s chief Martin Dolan the agency is working with a range of other international expert organizations to analyze available data and determine the best area to search.

“The new information is based on continuing analysis of radar data between the South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca before radar contact was lost,” said Mr Dolan

“It indicated the plane was travelling faster than previously estimated, resulting in increased fuel usage and reducing the possible distance it travelled south into the Indian Ocean.”

The West Australian also reports that an unusual diplomatic note has been issued to all countries involved in the search reminding them that if they are to find any pieces of the aircraft they are obliged under international law to hand the material over to the search authority.

China now has five ships in the Indian Ocean searching for MH370.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority chief John Young said the new search area would enable aircraft crews to have more time over the scene.

He said the new search zone was also out of the "roaring 40s", meaning weather conditions would be better and there was a chance debris would stay closer together.

He stressed the new calculations on where the aircraft may have come down were far from exact.

"The information provided by the international investigative team is the most credible lead we currently have in the search for aircraft wreckage," he said.

Flight MH370 is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean on March 8 with 239 people on board after flying thousands of kilometers off course.

Ten search planes operated out of Pearce Air Force Base and Perth Airport throughout the day on Friday with the last arriving back near midnight.