21st March, 2014: 2.15pm (AEDT)
Aircraft and merchant ship now in search area
*All times are expressed in Australian Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Please note all departure times are approximate.
Four aircraft have now departed Perth for the search area in the southern Indian Ocean.
A RAAF P3 Orion departed around 9.15am and is now in the search area.
A second RAAF P3 Orion departed around 11.15am and an ultra long range Bombardier Global Express jet departed around
11.30am.
A third RAAF P3 Orion departed for the search area around 12.45pm.
The United States Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft is due to depart for the search area at approximately 4pm.
Due to the distance to and from the search area, the aircraft involved have an endurance of approximately 2 hours of
search time.
One merchant vessel is currently in the search area. A second merchant vessel is due to arrive tonight.
Media Note: Please be advised that the description of the Gulfstream jet in the previous media release was incorrect. The ultra long
range jet utilised in today’s search is a Bombardier Global Express as indicated above.