Online reports claiming the discovery of the missing aircraft, which sought to put an end to the mystery disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, have been proven false.
The search for the missing plane, as well as its passengers and crew, continues.
Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss clarified before the Australian Associated Press that the latest crash incident involving Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in Ukraine had no effect on the search and rescue operations deployed for Malaysia Airline Flight MH370.
Speculations on the possible halt in the search operations for the missing Boeing 777 surfaced when the same operations were employed for the latest crash in Ukraine. Some relatives of the 239 passengers onboard the MH370 flight expressed their worry that the government's priority and budget might shift to the more recent incident.
"I want to assure the families of those on MH370 that we have not forgotten the importance of maintaining the search for that aircraft; we are continuing that search uninterrupted," Truss declared.
In addition, Truss reassured the public that the number of vessels currently charting the area has not been diminished.
"No resources are being taken away from that search for the MH17 effort; they're different people doing a different kind of job and we remain just as committed to finding that aircraft and giving comfort to those families," he guaranteed.
At present, two survey ships, Zhu Kezhen and Fugro Equator, have ben dispatched to conduct plotting missions. The Malaysian KD Mutiara was reported to join the search by August.
To further demonstrate the commitment of the officials to this search, the deputy prime minister divulged that the Australian government is presently exerting efforts to acquire an advanced sonar system. Procuring this technology will allow aviation and investigation officers to cover a search area of approximately 60,000 square kilometers.
"Australia owes it to the families of all of those on board MH370, the travelling public and indeed the wider world to solve this mystery," Truss declared in his closing statement.
Last seen on March 8, 2014, investigations reveal that the aircraft may have crashed around the area of the southern Indian Ocean.
