A major new breakthrough has given searchers and families new hope for reaching closure over Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. A French satellite has spotted 122 objects in the Indian Oceanthat could be part of the plane. "This is another new lead that will help direct the search operation," says Malaysia Acting Transportation Minister Hishammudin Hussein.
Those search operations have been hampered lately by severe weather. The search zone is about 622,000 square miles -- nearly the size of Alaska. Six countries, 12 planes, and 2 ships are involved in the operation. And we have just a couple weeks left to find the black boxes before their batteries run out.
When Minister Hussein says finding these objects will help direct the search operation, he means the discovery can help show where everyone should be searching. "At the moment, we're not looking for a needle in a haystack," says Mark Binskin, RAAF Vice Chief of Defense Force. "We're looking for the haystack." It could be weeks, still.
What I've heard emphasized over and over again is how vast the possible search area is, which is partly why it's taking so long. That may make sense to us, here in the US. But for the families who are desperately waiting for more concrete news, it's been taking an eternity.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Airlines is offering a financial settlement to the families of the passengers. Aside from the horrific tragedy of losing their loved ones, they are also furious over how updates have been communicated to them. I can't imagine how awful it would be to exist in this limbo.
ABC US News | ABC Business News
How would the airline's payout make you feel if you were a family member of one of the passengers?
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