The next phase in the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is under way after a ship with specialised sonar equipment began searching in the area where the plane is thought to have crashed. The Boeing 777 disappeared with 239 people on March 8 after veering dramatically off course between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing. The plane is thought to have been flying on autopilot at the time. Experts believe the plane crashed about 1,100 miles off the Western Australia coast, which is where the Malaysia-contracted GO Phoenix vessel began hunting for traces of wreckage or jet fuel today. The GO Phoenix will be joined later this month by two ships sent by Dutch contractor Fugro as part of an operation that could last more than a year.
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Malaysia-contracted GO Phoenix search vessel began new hunt today
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Will use specialised equipment to scout ocean floor for debris or fuel
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Search is taking place in an 'arc' 1,100 miles of the west coast of Australia
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More than 68,000 square miles of area previously analysed and mapped
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GO Phoneix will be joined by two Dutch search vessels later this month
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Operation could take more than a year to find the missing Boeing 777
All 12 members of staff on board the flight - including both pilots - were @placeholder nationals.