A new ocean drift analysis report from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has revealed the possible location of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight that involved a Boeing 777 aircraft.

The report has also reaffirmed the Australian Transport Safety Bureau’s (ATSB) previous conclusion that the 777 aircraft could be located to the north of the 120,000km² area in the southern Indian Ocean already searched by the involving investigative agencies.

In January, the underwater search carried out by the governments of Australia, Malaysia and China to find the MH370 was called off, citing failure in locating the aircraft that went missing in 2014 with 239 people onboard.

Prepared for ATSB, the new CSIRO report includes data and analysis from ocean testing of an actual Boeing 777 flaperon, while the previous testing had used inaccurate replicas.

CSIRO research team leader Dr David Griffin noted that that testing a real flaperon has put more weight to the findings from its earlier drift modelling work.

Griffin said: “Earlier drift modelling was conducted using replicas of the flaperon found on La Reunion.

“We wanted to see if the genuine flaperon drifted straight downwind like the replicas, or off at an angle, and at what speed through the water.

“Earlier drift modelling was conducted using replicas of the flaperon found on La Reunion."

“We’ve found that an actual flaperon goes about 20° to the left, and faster than the replicas, as we thought it might. The arrival of MH370’s flaperon at La Reunion in July 2015 now makes perfect sense. Knowing how the flaperon, and the other parts of MH370 that have been found, respond to wind and waves is just as important as knowing the currents of the Indian Ocean.

“We add both together in our model to simulate the drift across the ocean, then compare the results with observations of where debris was and wasn’t found, in order to deduce the location of the aircraft.”

The French judiciary is still examining the original MH370 flaperon found on La Reunion.


Image: Australia’s CSIRO tested a Boeing 777 flaperon in support of the missing MH370 flight. Photo: courtesy of Australian Government.