MH370: Debris spotted by satellite disappear upon investigation

Debris thought to be from a missing Malaysia Airlines plane was spotted by satellites in the Indian Ocean days after its disappearance, but by the time boats and planes went to investigate it had vanished.

MH370 flight disappeared in 2014 while flying to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board.

The search for the jet, also involving Malaysia and China, was called off in January after 1,046 days.

Australian searchers said they “deeply regretted” that the plane had not been found and have pronounced the missing plane as a mystery.

However, surveillance satellites began to look into the mystery. One satellite image revealed what appeared to be a scattering of debris in the area being investigated.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said in front of parliament on March 19 of the same year that it represented “new and credible” information about the fate of MH370.

Unfortunately, when ships and planed were deployed to follow up on the lead, nothing was found.

If the plane had gone into the ocean, currents would be dispersing the debris further and further away every day, making it harder to locate.

The further debris drifted away, the harder it would be to figure out where the plane impacted the sea.

This was crucial, because directly underneath this spot would lie the heavier parts of the aeroplane, including the black box that could unravel the mystery.

Debris believed to be from MH370 has since been found washed up in various locations around the Indian Ocean, mostly on the east coast of Africa.