Missing Malaysia Airlines flight has been GOOD for science, claims Australian politician
THE disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been GOOD for science, a senior Australian politician has claimed.
Sometimes knowledge can come from unexpected sources
West Australian premier Colin Barnett raised eyebrows when he tried to highlight the positives resulting from the tragic loss of life due to the disappearance of the Boeing 777, which had 239 crew and passengers on board.
Speaking at a marine science launch event at the West Australian State Library, Mr Barnett said: "Sometimes knowledge can come from unexpected sources.
"And while that is a great human tragedy there will be some good come out of it and the knowledge of the deep sea, and the seabed conditions will probably exceed anywhere in the world because of the scientific effort that is searching for an aircraft but providing all sorts of other information."
The hunt for the missing plane is now approaching its 13th month and Australia has so far spent around £15million on the latest phase of the underwater search, which is in its seventh month.
Vessels with underwater sonar equipment have so far covered around half of the current scan zone in the southern Indian Ocean, where investigators believe the plane crashed.
However, no trace has yet been found of the Boeing 777, after it mysteriously disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 last year.
But Mr Barnett argued searches as a result of the tragedy had uncovered previously unknown volcanoes and marine beds.
He added: "Fresh water lakes and fresh water waterfalls have been discovered, features of the marine bed that many did not believe was likely to exist.
"There is much yet to be learnt about our coastline and the species of both plant and marine life that live there."
His remarks come after it emerged that the search for the missing plane could be abandoned within days.
Ministers from China, Australia and Malaysia will meet in Kuala Lumpur in two weeks, when they will also look at the possibility of expanding the already extensive hunt.
