RTR3K2B9 (1).jpg (Photo : Reuters)
Haixun 01, a Chinese patrol ship, returned to its base port in Shanghai on Sunday after helping with the search for the still-missing Malaysian airline flight MH370.
The ship left the port on March 10, two days after the plane went missing, and continuously worked to locate the aircraft, according to People Daily.
Haixun 01's search took 216 days, during which it coursed through 22,371 nautical miles and covered upwards of 240,000 square kilometers of waters.
According to Ma Liedong, commander of the ship's search force, with these figures, the Chinese ship broke many records in the nation's maritime search in duration and mileage.
"China has dispatched the largest number of forces and resources for the search," Ma said.
In total, the country dispatched 19 ships, eight helicopters and five fixed-wing planes for the search efforts, according to official data. Of the 239 passengers and crew on board the MH370 when it vanished on March 8 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, 154 were Chinese.
Among the areas covered by Haixun 01 were the Strait of Malacca, the Sundra Strait, and the waters off the west of Indonesia and the southern Indian Ocean.
Personnel on board the ship worked through "severe sea conditions" and performed operations in a "highly responsible and diligent manner," according to the Chinese Maritime Search and Rescue Center.
The search team employed several technologies in their operations, including satellites and deep-water equipment for three-dimensional search. They maintained close contacts with forces from Malaysia and Australia, the center said.
Zhang Liang, officer-in-charge of surveying and detection of the missing plane, said China's search forces also used equipment such as a submersible robot, underwater cameras and black-box detectors.
Even with these technologies, however, Zhang said that China needs more advanced facilities and equipment for such operation. The officer-in-charge has called for improvement on these aspects in the future.
