Missing Malaysia plane: Search area narrows

A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion flies past the Australian navy vessel Ocean Shield as it drops sonar buoys to assist in the search for missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 in image released by the Australian Defence Force on 9 April 2014

Australia's Ocean Shield has picked up signals that could be consistent with flight recorders four times

Teams are focusing on a narrowed search area in the hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, after more signals were heard earlier this week.

Thursday's search was set to involve up to 14 aircraft and 13 ships, the agency co-ordinating the search announced.

They will search 57,923 sq km (22 364 sq miles) - the smallest designated search area in the hunt to date.

On Wednesday, the official leading the search said he believed teams were looking "in the right area".

"I'm now optimistic that we will find the aircraft, or what's left of the aircraft, in the not too distant future," said Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston.

Flight MH370 disappeared on 8 March, carrying 239 people. It was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers.

Malaysian officials say that based on satellite data, they believe it ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean, thousands of kilometres from its intended flight path.

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