The search in the Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet resumed just after daybreak on Monday, Australian authorities announced.
In a news release, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had directed 10 aircraft early Monday (local time) to scour for possible objects in a search area nearly 1,600 miles southwest of Perth. Joining the mission are two large Chinese military Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft and a Japanese P-3C aircraft.
Authorities staggered aircraft departure times, beginning with 8:45 a.m. and ending with 4 p.m.
The agency said weather conditions were "expected to deteriorate" — and rain could hamper search efforts.
The search area on Monday was divided into two sectors covering a cumulative 26,000 square miles, AMSA said. The previous search, which concluded late Sunday (local time), ended without any luck.
Flying Office Peter Moore of the Royal Australian Air Force told reporters after returning from the Sunday search that weather conditions were less than favorable, with a low cloud ceiling at about 500 feet, fog and showers.
France has new satellite data showing possible debris in southern search zone, officials said Sunday, but so far there has been no solid evidence of the whereabouts of the plane that vanished two weeks ago with 239 passengers and crew on board.
— Daniel Arkin
