Chinese aircraft lead Indian Ocean search for missing MH370

Two Chinese air force aircraft were among the first into the air Monday as they entered the search over the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.  [Special coverage]

One of the giant Chinese Ilyushin IL-76 aircraft was the first to head for the search area, taking off from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Pearce just north of the southwest Australian city of Perth at 8:45 am local time.

It was followed by an RAAF P3 Orion at 9 am and then the other Chinese IL-76 took off at 9:20 am, beginning the seventh day of the Australian-controlled air search over the southern Indian Ocean.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), which is overseeing the search, has been staggering the flights as they manage the short search window each aircraft has at the two search areas after flying about 2,500 km from Perth.

Two ultra-long range civil jets departed at about 10:10 am and 10:30 am and a second RAAF P3 Orion was scheduled to depart about 11 am.

A third ultra-long range jet was scheduled to take off about midday, followed by a US Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft at 1 pm and two Japanese P3 Orion aircraft after 4 pm.

The 10 aircraft joining the Monday search mission was up from eight the day before as the two search areas in close proximity were expanded from a total 59,000 square km to 68,500 square km.

AMSA was using all satellite imagery and information available in its search area development.

The weather forecast in the search area is expected to deteriorate with rain likely.

Searchers are now looking for objects spotted in three sets of satellite photos: US images taken on March 16, Chinese images taken two days later, and French images, which were still being studied and emerged on Sunday.

They are also trying to find a wooden pallet, packing straps and other unidentified objects that were spotted from an aircraft on Saturday.