NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Indian Navy has deployed four warships viz. IN Ships Satpura, Sahyadri, Saryu and Batti Malv in the Bay of Bengal, the Andaman Sea & West of Andaman Islands.
In coordination of the surface search by ships, extensive air searches are also being conducted. One P 8I with Electro Optics/Infra Red (EO/IR) pods, one C 130J Hercules aircraft (of IAF) and one Dornier aircraft are undertaking searches in the area.
Additionally, one P 8 I along with one C 130 J aircraft are being deployed to Malaysia. These aircraft would be joining the International Search Force by noon 21 Mar 14.
The Indian forces are in continuous touch with the Royal Malaysian Navy and Air Force from its Maritime Operations Centre at New Delhi and all possible help is being rendered towards SAR operations for MH 370.
Meanwhile, search for the missing aircraft resumed in southern Indian ocean on Friday with long-range reconnaissance aircrafts looking for possible debris from the jetliner in one of the most remote locations on Earth.
Aircrafts from Australia and the United States have staggered departures to an area roughly 1,500 miles southwest of Perth, where two objects were captured on satellite and described as possible pieces of the plane, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
The first plane, an Australian air force P3 Orion, arrived in the search area early afternoon local time, the authority said.
Given the distance from Australia to where the objects were spotted by a commercial satellite, the aircraft will only have between two and three hours to traverse the search area before having to start the return journey, the maritime authority said.
The aircrafts were deployed after the Norwegian ship crew looked for debris in the high seas unsuccessful throughout Thursday .
Erik Gierchsky, a spokesman for the Norwegian Shipowners Association was quoted saying that the crew members searched for the debris even on Thursday night using lights and binoculars.
Authorities were hoping for better results after poor weather hindered Thursday’s search for the debris.
