A PLA naval fleet consisting of three ships: the Qiandaohu, the Kunlunshan and the Haikou, along with two shipborne helicopters, has reached the search area, some 1,100 nautical miles southwest of Perth in the Indian Ocean, at 7:00 A.M today, after six days of high speed sailing.

A PLA naval fleet consisting of three ships: the Qiandaohu, the Kunlunshan and the Haikou, along with two shipborne helicopters, has reached the search area, some 1,100 nautical miles southwest of Perth in the Indian Ocean, at 7:00 A.M today, after six days of high speed sailing.

The mission area for the fleet is about 29,000 square km near 96 degrees east longitude and 43 degrees south latitude.

The crews combined visual search with other means such as radar and optical equipment, and sent helicopters up to carry out airborne observation.

If Wednesday's search ends up with nothing suspicious, the flotilla will move into the next phase when the ships will comb the area back and forth for five times to ensure that no clue is overlooked.

Meanwhile, Chinese icebreaker Xuelong has also arrived in the area where Chinese airborne searchers spotted some suspicious objects on Monday.