Halted search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to resume - but with just ONE boat
THE scaled down search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 will restart tomorrow - but will have only one boat scouring the Indian Ocean for the wreckage.
The search has been criticised in recent weeks after being scaled back
The operation has only recently been hit by the loss of the third ship using sonar equipment to look for the stricken aircraft and now officials admit the second vessel will be out of action for at least another five days.
No reason was given for that decision.
The two ships left, Fugro Discovery and Fugro Equator, were last week refuelling and replenishing supplies but in a statement today JACC said the former would be restarting operations tomorrow while the latter was "expected to arrive in the search area on July 6 to recommence search operations".
But more bad news could be on its way with the weather forecast said to be "severe" over the coming week.
So far 50,000sq km of the 120,000sq km search zone has been covered
JACC said "pauses are anticipated" throughout the winter months because of treacherous conditions.
The search teams are currently scheduled to look at an area of 120,000 square kilometres but have so far covered just 50,000 sq km of the sea floor.
Estimates suggest £30million has been spent so far by Australia, China and Malaysia governments.
Former French naval officer Paul-Henry Nargeolet said: "This is a big job. I'm not an Australian taxpayer, but if I was, I would be very mad to see money being spent like that."
There has been no sign of wreckage since the Boeing 777's mysterious disappearance.