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Japanese, Chinese join forces in hunt for MH370

By Christian Edwards (Xinhua)    07:51, March 24, 2014
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SYDNEY, March 23 -- With Japanese search and rescue teams now joining Chinese aircraft Sunday in the hunt for signs of MH370, a sense of hope is beginning to break through the frustration on the ground at Pearce Airbase in Bullsbrook, western Australia.

A further two P3 Orion class planes landed in rural Bullsbrook - - the unlikely setting for what many hope will be the last stages of the global search -- joining two -- Chinese IL-76 at the Pearce Airbase 50 km outside of Perth.

Landing as the sun set over another hot and dusty day in Bullsbrook, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Wing Commander David Turner welcomed Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) officers as an international squadron continue to fly urgent sorties ever since satellites identified what Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told parliament was "the best lead yet."

The arrival of the upgraded Japanese P3 Orion aircraft comes as the Acting Australian Prime Minister Warren Truss expressed a growing hope after an Australian civilian aircraft reported debris again in the Indian Ocean, including what has been described as a wooden pallet.

Truss told media in Canberra "We hope that soon there will be more information that will be able to provide some kind of closure. ... especially to those families who had loved ones on board Malaysia Airlines flight 370."

The head of Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) at AMSA, Mike Barton, provided further hope to long-suffering families and friends, suggesting that debris identified by the search aircraft may have also included "strapping belts." "We've gone back to that area today to try and refine it but are also continuing with another methodical search," Barton added. "The area continues to change as the water movements change."

As the weather systems close in, the arrival of the upgraded Japanese Orions is timely.

Japanese captain Hidetsugu Iwamasa told Xinhua that he had strong faith in the technological resources of the Japanese disaster relief team now in place at Pearce Airforce base.

"I'm very confident in the upgrades of these P3 Orions. I'm confident that we have much to contribute. We have the very best technology available."

The Japanese P3 planes are capable of underwater detection, with radar effective for submarine searches, including identifying avionic sensitive objects.

Hidetsugu is part of a 50-strong Japanese contingent from the Japanese Disaster Relief (JDR) team that has been operating out of Malaysia as part of the global search for MH370 which now enters its 16th day.

Two Chinese IL-76 aircraft have been prepped and sources say they could be in the air as early as 5 a.m. on Monday.

RAAF Group Captain Craig Heap said that the Chinese teams now working with Australian-led sorties were "highly professional."

"We all understand the gravity of the situation but that's exactly what we've been trained for... We've worked alongside Japanese and Chinese colleagues before -- and its an extraordinary privilege."

A sentiment echoed by RAAF Wing Commander David Turner, the commanding officer of the City of Perth Squadron, Combat Support Group, who said his officers shared common sense of duty with the Chinese officers who arrived at Pearce Airbase on Saturday. "Firstly, our thoughts and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those missing, wherever they might be. "One thing that we all share, as professionals, is the sense of duty and responsibility to do everything we can to try and bring some kind of resolution to these events."

"It's an honor and a privilege to have Chinese pilots here... and we will do all we can to make them proud," Turner said.

(Editor:SunZhao、Yao Chun)

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