The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has tasked three RAAF P3 Orion aircraft, a New Zealand P3 RAAF Orion aircraft and two ultra long range commercial jets to search a 36,000 square kilometre area about 2500 kilometres south-west of Perth today.
The two commercial jets and a RAAF P3 Orion will be the first aircraft to depart from Perth for the search area. These aircraft are due for departure around 9am AEDT.
A total of 10 State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers from Western Australia have been tasked as air observers on the commercial jets today. Yesterday, seven SES volunteers from Victoria were also tasked as air observers. AMSA runs a training program across the country to train SES volunteers in air observation for searches such as this.
Two merchant ships are now currently in the search area.
A total of six merchant ships have assisted in the search since a shipping broadcast was issued by AMSA on Monday night.
The current search area has been identified based on satellite data imagery from the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) provided to AMSA on Thursday morning.
Analysis of the imagery by AGO identified two objects possibly relating to the missing aircraft. The images have been assessed as being credible but it is possible they do not relate to the search for MH370.
The Royal Australian Navy HMAS Success is also en route to the search area and is due in the area late this afternoon.
To date, no sightings have been reported.