CRI听力:Search for Missing Plane Expanded

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The search now has widened to cover a swathe of Southeast Asia, from the South China Sea to India's territorial waters, with authorities still uncertain where exactly to look for the plane.

Hishammuddin Hussein is Malaysia's Transport Minister.

"So many vessels and aircraft, so many countries to coordinate, and a vast area for us to search. And each time that passes, I fear that the search and rescue becomes just a search, but we will never give up hope. And this we owe to the families."

Currently 12 countries, including the recent addition of India and Japan, are taking part in the search.

Experts are now being brought in to analyze both civilian and military radar data to try to get a better idea of where the missing plane may be.

Officials with Malaysia's military have been quoted as saying the plane may have turned around before disappearing from radar.

However, there have been conflicting statements and reports about how far and in which direction the missing flight may have gone.

China's search team has expanded its search area to northwest of the gulf of Thailand, covering some 17 thousand square kilometers in total.

Eight Chinese vessels and 6 helicopters are currently taking part in the massive search.

Chinese authorities have also re-aligned 10 satellites to provide orbital support in locating the missing jet.

As the search continues, Malaysia's Ambassador to China has met with the relatives of the Chinese passengers here in Beijing.

There have been a growing number of complaints among the relatives of the missing about lack of information from both Malaysia Airlines and from Malaysian authorities.

The Malaysian Airlines flight, with 239-passangers and crew onboard, disappeared from radar about an hour after take off from Kuala Lumpur early Saturday morning while on a flight to Beijing.

A hundred-and-fifty-four of the passengers are Chinese.

For CRI, I'm Su Yi.