Blaine Gibson, the real-life Indiana Jones in the search for MH370, says the new effort to find the missing Boeing 777 due to start Sunday January 21 1800km west-south-west of Perth will almost certainly be successful.
Mr. Gibson has both found MH370 debris and raised awareness around the Indian Ocean of the importance of collecting the vital clues which have enabled the CSIRO and UWA to virtually pinpoint where MH370 is in the Indian Ocean using reverse drift modeling.
More than 30 pieces have been found.
Read: MH370 searchers to hit the ground running
Mr. Gibson told AirlineRatings.com: “if anyone can find MH370 the Ocean Infinity team can.”
“They are extremely professional and there is an enormous amount of experience on board,” he said.
Read: Australia’s crash investigator among the world’s best
Mr. Gibson visited Ocean Infinity’s ship, the Seabed Constructor, in Durban 10 days ago and also attended top-level meetings in London to discuss the search.
While the content of those meetings is secret, Mr. Gibson said everyone was very impressed.
“The Ocean Infinity team listened to all views expressed and the science behind them,” he said. “The technology they are using is a great leap forward.
“If the Inmarsat data is correct they will find it.”
The Inmarsat data, which is not disputed by all the agencies and most professional observers, is the hourly tracking of the plane off the WA coast.
“When I was on-board the ship I was struck by the professionalism and the high level of confidence,” Mr Gibson said. “The crew is so focused and dedicated to the mission to bring closure for the relatives and solve one of aviation’s most tragic mysteries.”
The Seabed Constructor will arrive at the location identified last year by the CSIRO and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
That total area covers 25,000sq km just outside, and at the northern end, of the previous search.
There are four hot spots.
The first of those is latitude 35.6°S and longitude 92.8°E, near the seventh arc defined by satellite data.
That location is also supported after a e-examination of French satellite images taken weeks after MH370 disappeared that show possible debris in the water.
Ocean Infinity has a contract with Malaysia that no fee will be paid if it does not find MH370.
It will earn between $US20 and $US70million if it finds MH370, depending on time taken. n a 5000 sq. km primary search area, $US30m if it finds it in a subsequent 10,000 sq. km secondary search area and $US50m if it finds it another 10,000 sq km tertiary search area.
According to the New Straits Times, Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the DCA will receive daily updates from the crew on the search progress.
This information, he said, would be channeled to the next of kin first via the DCA website.
“We will also provide updates on the search mission to the media and public once a week,” he said.
