Piper australis

MH370: What's Going on? Bill's Update A few months ago, Malaysia unexpectedly extended Ocean Infinity's (OI) search contract. We are waiting to see if OI accepts the offer because better ocean weather is coming soon Down Under. Most of us had been expecting OI to search at least a little more area than they did so far this year (see Graphic). There is a lack of communications from OI/Malaysia, but the basic plan seems to have been to search about 33-36s +-45nm, whereas the northern portion above Arc7 (in Red below) was unexpectedly skipped and presumed to be the portion that will be completed this season. Of course the portion +-25nm was searched earlier, so the basic idea is to widen the search area around the Independent Group's (IG's) pin. The original ASTB search covered 38s +-40nm, so in the end widening out to +-40 to 45nm from approx 33-39s, and a little skinnier area about +-25nm from 25-33s. Some people say OI also covered a portion of the Blelly/Marchand (CAPTION) recommended area. As mentioned, communications with the public, from Malaysia and OI, have broken down in recent years. Compared to the 2016 and 2018 major MH370 searches, which in hindsight featured considerable transparency of plans/results/contracts, now we hear pretty much Jack Squat (nothing). We do NOT know the plans, except by waiting to see where the ships search, if they indeed ever get out there. My speculation(s) as far as why the lack of communications? A couple of obvious things: presumably Malaysia and Ocean Infinity are sensitive about the contract details. Basically as far back as 8 yrs ago, OI said it was willing to continue searching. But it took Malaysia many years to agree to that idea, and now we have a "new reality". The new reality perhaps includes less interest from OI, perhaps due to less equipment availability and maybe less MH370-style capability for OI's new fleet (somewhat smaller ships). Not to mention perhaps difficulty working with a presumably less-than-cooperative Malaysia. Not to mention OI perhaps finally realizing the ghost flight narrative is wishful thinking, and maybe OI already got as much non-monetary reward as they hoped for (good PR and testing of new ships). Additionally the "new reality" features divisiveness in the crowd-sourcing community who pretty much runs the social media-based MH370 investigation. After 8 years to re-assess crash location, social media pundits are picking their favorite search spots spanning deep 40 South to Java almost 2000-miles away, including long "glide/flight" 100nm past Arc7, up to 200+nm in some cases. WSPR Ham Radio sound wave analysis, though seriously questioned re: scientific merit, has captured the public imagination in part due to mass media support. Overall, there are many other vocal advocates for a variety of scenarios, and we are talking an elephantine massive search area spanning a good chunk of half the southern hemisphere of the planet (affectionately known as Arc7). Anyways the divisiveness is yet another possible reason why Malaysia and OI might not want to say where and why they plan to search. As far as chances of success for the expected new search area, the prospects do not look good for many of us who tend to feel MH370 probably flew beyond Arc7, and who feel MH370 probably didn't circle back inside Arc7 beyond the 25nm zone already searched. However, some ghost flight advocates still like inside Arc7 (they also advocate Arc7 could be inaccurate). Additionally followers of UWA's Professor Chari's drift model, feel the crash could be anywhere more North above about 32.5 to 33.0 South, so they tend to be supportive even if it is not in their preferred region which is further East towards Broken Ridge. So there is some hope that MH370 is in the expected new search area.