Bluefin-21 covered 90% of underwater search zone

The hunt for missing flight MH370 continues in the southern Indian Ocean, but so far, no trace of the Malaysia Airlines plane has been found. A robotic submersible, the Bluefin-21, is currently completing its 12th mission in the underwater search area. As of Thursday morning it has finished scanning more than 90 percent of the seabed. But it has not detected any wreckage or any evidence of the missing plane.  [Special coverage]

Meanwhile, the surface search zone planned for Thursday is approximately 49-thousand square kilometers. Up to 11 military aircraft and 11 ships are to look for debris from the missing plane, in an area of the sea some 1,600 kilometers northwest of Perth.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has said after examining detailed photographs of a material washed ashore 10 kilometers east of Augusta, which it was found to be unrelated to the plane. Western Australia Police secured the material on Wednesday afternoon. And the pictures have been forwarded to the Malaysian government and Boeing for analysis.

The weather forecast for Thursday is heavy rain and low clouds, with south easterly winds and sea swells of three to four meters, and visibility of one kilometer. These unfavourable conditions may hamper the search process.