The San Diego-based destroyer USS Kidd moved into the Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea Sunday as the search continued for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370.
The Kidd and its two MH-60R helicopters are examining more than 300 square miles of sea every four hours in the search for the jetliner, which went missing March 8 on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The Boeing 777 carried 239 passengers, most of them Chinese.
“Our helicopters are an extension of the ship’s capabilities and provide us with the best chance of finding airplane debris,” said Lt.j.g. Eric Bachtel, the ship’s Combat Information Center Officer. “With extra watch standers in place, we are able to comb through any debris spotted from the ship or the aircraft and if needed retrieve the objects via grappling hook, small boats, or with our Search and Rescue swimmers deployed from the ship or helicopters.”
The flight’s disappearance has triggered multiple investigations by several nations, including China and the United States. Conflicting information also contributed to confusion over the baffling disappearance.
— From a Navy press release
