Debris, Possibly From Malaysian Jet, Spotted By Satellite

by JASmius

How does one say "Where's Waldo?" in Malay?:

Aircraft and ships ploughed through dire weather on Thursday in search of objects floating in remote seas off Australia that Malaysia's government called a "credible lead" in the trans-continental hunt for a jetliner missing for nearly two weeks.
 
The large objects, which Australian officials said were spotted by satellite four days ago in one of the remotest parts of the globe, are the most promising find in days as searchers scour a vast area for the plane lost with 239 people on board. 

A Norwegian merchant ship arrived in the area on Thursday, but officials cautioned it could take days to confirm if the objects were parts of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777. Malaysia's government said the search would continue elsewhere despite the sighting in the southern Indian Ocean.

The area where the objects were spotted is around 2,500 km (1,500 miles) southwest of Perth, roughly corresponding to the far end of a southern track that investigators calculated the aircraft could have taken after it was diverted.

"Yesterday I said that we wanted to reduce the area of the search. We now have a credible lead," Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.

Aaaaaaand now Hish has to increase his search area - again - not reduce it.  But he'll do it, and gladly, because this is obviously a lead he likes, probably because it's nowhere near Pakistan, which would be even tougher to explain to the ChiComms, what with two-thirds or so of Flight 370's passengers being Chinese nationals and all.  Allah help him if the "objects" turn out to be a pod of whales, or a squadron of flying saucers, or something.

This lead can go on the pile with the verging-on dozen or so others, including the Wall Street Journal's ominous report last Friday that, "At one briefing, according to this person, officials were told that investigators are actively pursuing the notion that the plane was diverted 'with the intention of using it later for another purpose.'"

So rest easy, Hish; just wait long enough, and Flight 370 will find its way to the Freedom Tower in Manhatten - at about the 75th floor.

BTW, how does one say "Amelia Earhart" in Malay?