Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Further on indulgence, if I may, I would like to inform the House that new and credible information has come to light in relation to the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has received information based on satellite imagery of objects possibly related to the search. Following specialist analysis of this satellite imagery, two possible objects related to the search have been identified. I can inform the House that a Royal Australian Air Force Orion has been diverted to attempt to locate the objects. This Orion is expected to arrive in the area at about this time. Three more aircraft will follow this Orion. They are tasked with a more intensive follow-up search. I have spoken to my Malaysian counterpart, Prime Minister Najib Razak, and informed him of these developments. I should tell the House, and we must keep this in mind, the task of locating these objects will be extremely difficult and it may turn out that they are not related to the search for flight MH370. Nevertheless, I did want to update the House on this potentially important development.