Malaysia Airlines: Search suspended due to bad weather
Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 6:56 PM -
Expectations were high when Australian defense chief David Johnston called an unscheduled press conference at Pearce Airforce Base in Perth Tuesday.
It was speculated that he had more information on objects spotted by the Australian Airforce Monday, perhaps even linking them to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight.
But -- as has often been the case in this perplexing mystery -- expectations rise, only to be knocked down again.
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All he could say was that he was "confident" they were searching in the right area, although they haven't zoned in on the exact area of the crash.
Right now though the search is stalled due to what officials are calling a "horrendous" storm.
The weather in the search zone is so bad it has driven the 18,000 tonne Australian navy resupply vessel Success 120 km off station.
The search is likely to resume Wednesday.
When search crews resume their work, they'll be combing the remote area in the southern Indian Ocean where officials now say they believe the flight ended.
More than half a million square kilometers have been searched to date, Australian authorities said.
A Malaysia Airlines plane prepares to go out onto the runway and passes by a stationary Chinese Ilyushin 76 aircraft (top) at Perth International Airport on March 25, 2014 in Perth Australia. (Photo by Greg Wood - Pool/Getty Images)
