The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is concentrating on two objects located by satellite and identified by analysts as possible debris. A summary of the latest information from Australian maritime authorities and others involved in the investigation:
The objects
One is 24 metres (almost 80 feet) in length and the other is 5 metres (15 feet). Both have an indistinct, whitish appearance and are floating or just underneath the water surface. The objects could be unrelated to the plane, possibly debris from ships, though the larger object is longer than a container.
These are the first objects identified as possible plane debris since the search was focused on the southern Indian Ocean.
The conditions
The location is about 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth, Australia. The water is several thousand meters (yards) deep. The weather is often stormy and the seas rough. The remoteness of the search area means planes must fly long hours just to get there, so the time spent searching is limited.
Four search planes flew over the area Thursday, but weather hampered visibility. Another plane is dropping buoys so the currents can be monitored.
What's next
A Norwegian merchant ship will use radar to search the area overnight, and its crew will use binoculars and their own eyesight to scan the waters Friday. Australia's HMAS Success and a second merchant ship are en route. The planes will return to search by air on Friday.
Australia is seeking higher resolution images of the objects, perhaps distinct enough to identify any markings.
