CRI听力:New Search Area Announced for Missing Malaysian Airline

The Australian government has announced a new search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss says analysis of satellite information has defined a search zone of up to 60,000 square kilometres along an arc in the southern Indian Ocean.

"We expect that the underwater search element will commence in August and take about 12 months to complete. In addition, the search effort will include equipment provided by Malaysia which includes vessels fitted with search equipment including towed sonar systems which will be used to search the sea floor."

In the latest shift in the search for the missing airliner, investigators say they are confident the jet was on autopilot when it crashed.

The new priority area is still focused on the same seventh arc in the southern Indian Ocean where the aircraft last communicated with a satellite.

Malaysia and Australia are currently developing a memorandum of understanding to split the workload of this new phase of the operation.

The Boeing 777, carrying 239 passengers and crew, disappeared on March 8 shortly after takeoff while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.