Detailed sea-floor maps made during the unsuccessful search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, released by Australia on Wednesday, could help increase the knowledge of rich fisheries and the prehistoric movement of the earth's southern continents.
The Indian Ocean search ended in January after covering a lonely stretch of open water where under-sea mountains larger than Mount Everest rise and a rift valley dotted with subsea volcanoes runs hundreds of kilometres long.
The whereabouts of the plane, which vanished in March 2014 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board, remains one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.
However, information gathered during painstaking surveys of some 120,000 sq km (46,000 sq miles) of the remote waters west of Australia should provide fishermen, oceanographers and geologists insight into the region in unprecedented detail, said Charitha Pattiaratchi, professor of coastal oceanography at the University of Western Australia.
"There are the locations of seamounts which will attract a lot of international deep sea fishermen to the area," Pattiaratchi told Reuters by phone.
High-priced fish such as tuna, toothfish, orange roughy, alfonsino and trevally are known to gather near the seamounts, where plankton swirl in the currents in the inhospitable waters.
Pattiaratchi said the location of seamounts would also help model the impact of tsunamis in the region, given undersea mountains help dissipate their destructive energy, and potentially change our understanding of the break-up of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.
The data consists of three-dimensional models of undersea landforms as well as raw bathymetric survey information. It was published online by Geoscience Australia on Wednesday, with a further tranche due to be published next year.
"It is estimated that only 10 to 15 percent of the world's oceans have been surveyed with the kind of technology used in the search for MH370, making this remote part of the Indian Ocean among the most thoroughly mapped regions of the deep ocean on the planet," said Stuart Minchin, chief of Geoscience Australia's environmental geoscience division.
Australia has not ruled out resuming the search for the Boeing 777 airliner but has said that would depend on finding "credible new evidence" about the plane's whereabouts.
"No new information has been discovered to determine the specific location of the aircraft and the underwater search remains suspended," Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement on Wednesday.
Reuters
Wed Jul 19 2017
![MH370 search data unveils fishing hotspots, ancient geological movements MH370 search data unveils fishing hotspots, ancient geological movements](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2017-07/71500442244_GeoscienceAustralia.jpg)
An undated supplied image from Geoscience Australia shows a computer generated three-dimensional view of the sea floor obtained from mapping data collected during the first phase of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
![Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723677980_MounirNasraoui.jpg)
Bapa bintang bola sepak Sepanyol, Lamine Yamal ditikam - Laporan
Mounir Nasraoui, bapa kepada Lamine Yamal, ditikam pada lewat Rabu di tempat letak kereta di bandar Mataro di timur laut Sepanyol.
Putin anggap rundingan dengan Ukraine tidak berguna
Presiden Rusia Vladimir Putin menyifatkan, tindakan Ukraine yang menyerang orang awam memperlihatkan keengganan Kyiv menyelesaikan konflik peperangan dua negara dengan cara perdamaian.
Fadillah tiba di Peru, hadiri mesyuarat menteri-menteri tenaga APEC 2024
Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof tiba Lima, Peru bagi menghadiri Mesyuarat Menteri-Menteri Tenaga (EMM) di bawah Kerjasama Ekonomi Asia Pasifik (APEC) yang berlangsung selama dua hari.
BNM denda Maybank RM4.32 juta, CIMB RM760,000 berikutan gangguan perkhidmatan berpanjangan
Bank Negara Malaysia mengenakan Penalti Monetari Pentadbiran (AMP) sebanyak RM4.32 juta ke atas Malayan Banking Bhd dan Maybank Islamic Bhd serta RM760,000 ke atas CIMB Bank Bhd dan CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd susulan gangguan beberapa perkhidmatan perbankan yang berpanjangan.
![Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723674988_pineapplesweetsme.jpg)
Pertubuhan kebajikan New Zealand mohon maaf edar gula-gula bercampur dadah Methamphetamine
Auckland City Mission secara tidak sengaja telah mengagihkan gula-gula bercampur Methamphetamine yang boleh membawa maut melalui pek makanan.
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza hadapi kekurangan mesin dialisis
Pesakit buah pinggang di Gaza menghadapi kekurangan peralatan dialisis dan bekalan perubatan yang teruk di Khan Younis.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas hilang kepercayaan A.S jadi pengantara gencatan senjata
Hamas hilang kepercayaan terhadap keupayaan Amerika Syarikat untuk menjadi pengantara gencatan senjata di Gaza.
Kekejaman zionis: Hamas tidak ambil bahagian rundingan gencatan senjata baharu
Hamas tidak akan mengambil bahagian dalam pusingan baharu rundingan gencatan senjata Gaza yang dijadualkan di Qatar, pada Khamis.
Malaysia kecam pencerobohan Israel ke atas Masjid Al-Aqsa
Wisma Putra dalam satu kenyataan pada Rabu berkata perbuatan keji ini yang dilakukan di bawah perlindungan pasukan keselamatan Israel, merupakan pencerobohan serius terhadap satu daripada tapak paling suci Islam.
![WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41723675747_Mpoxvirus.jpg)
WHO isytihar mpox sebagai kecemasan kesihatan awam global
Ini merupakan pengisytiharan kali kedua dalam tempoh dua tahun berikutan wabak yang bermula di Congo sudah merebak ke negara jiran.
![Australia dan Malaysia jalin hubungan Australia-ASEAN yang lebih kukuh - Heinecke Australia dan Malaysia jalin hubungan Australia-ASEAN yang lebih kukuh - Heinecke](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/71723203849_TBDanielleHeinecke.jpg)
Australia dan Malaysia jalin hubungan Australia-ASEAN yang lebih kukuh - Heinecke
Heinecke menyamakan hubungan antara Australia dan ASEAN dengan gabungan popular Malaysia, "Roti Canai dan Teh Tarik," yang menggambarkan sinergi semula jadi antara kedua-duanya.
![Tarik diri Olimpik Paris, Sinner pertahan gelaran Canadian Open Tarik diri Olimpik Paris, Sinner pertahan gelaran Canadian Open](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/61723161953_JannikSinner.jpg)
Tarik diri Olimpik Paris, Sinner pertahan gelaran Canadian Open
Pemain tenis nombor satu dunia, Jannik Sinner, mempertahankan gelaran Canadian Open dengan kemenangan 6-2 6-4 ke atas Borna Coric dari Croatia.
![Sarawak belajar bagaimana Australia urus populasi buaya Sarawak belajar bagaimana Australia urus populasi buaya](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720601158_buaya.jpg)
Sarawak belajar bagaimana Australia urus populasi buaya
Delegasi kerajaan Sarawak diketuai Timbalan Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan mengadakan lawatan kerja empat hari ke Australia untuk mengkaji kaedah sesuai bagi menguruskan populasi buaya.
![Australia naikkan tahap ancaman keganasan selepas terima maklumat perisikan Australia naikkan tahap ancaman keganasan selepas terima maklumat perisikan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41722835981_TBAustraliasPrim.jpg)
Australia naikkan tahap ancaman keganasan selepas terima maklumat perisikan
Australia menaikkan tahap ancaman keganasannya daripada "mungkin berlaku" kepada "kemungkinan besar akan berlaku", umum Perdana Menteri Anthony Albanese.
![Rozita Rohaizad tekad terus bantu martabat warisan Malaysia di Australia Rozita Rohaizad tekad terus bantu martabat warisan Malaysia di Australia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-08/41722645001_tbRozitaRohaizadA.jpg)
Rozita Rohaizad tekad terus bantu martabat warisan Malaysia di Australia
Sanggup guna duit sendiri berulang-alik ke Australia untuk menjadi tenaga pengajar, setiap kali berlangsungnya pelbagai festival kesenian kebudayaan.
![Kerajaan Australia akan paksa bank bayar ganti rugi kepada mangsa penipuan Kerajaan Australia akan paksa bank bayar ganti rugi kepada mangsa penipuan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81722414152_TBGENERICMACAUSCAM.jpg)
Kerajaan Australia akan paksa bank bayar ganti rugi kepada mangsa penipuan
Bank di Australia akan dipaksa membayar ganti rugi kepada pelanggan yang kehilangan wang akibat penipuan di bawah undang-undang baharu yang dicadangkan oleh kerajaan, lapor Xinhua.
![Olimpik Paris 2024: Australia menang emas 4x100m gaya bebas wanita Olimpik Paris 2024: Australia menang emas 4x100m gaya bebas wanita](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51722130395_tbOlympics.jpg)
Olimpik Paris 2024: Australia menang emas 4x100m gaya bebas wanita
Kuartet renang wanita Australia mencipta rekod baharu Sukan Olimpik Paris apabila memenangi pingat emas keempat berturut-turut dalam acara 4x100 meter (m) gaya bebas di Sukan Olimpik Paris 2024 pada S
![Pemimpin Australia, New Zealand dan Kanada gesa gencatan senjata segera di Gaza Pemimpin Australia, New Zealand dan Kanada gesa gencatan senjata segera di Gaza](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81721105049_zionist.jpg)
Pemimpin Australia, New Zealand dan Kanada gesa gencatan senjata segera di Gaza
Ketiga-tiga pemimpin itu menggesa Israel untuk memberi maklum balas terhadap keputusan ICJ minggu lepas yang menganggap pendudukan wilayah Palestin oleh Israel adalah haram.
![2 juruterbang maut helikopter bertembung, terhempas di Australia 2 juruterbang maut helikopter bertembung, terhempas di Australia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721882926_WesternAustraliaPo.jpg)
2 juruterbang maut helikopter bertembung, terhempas di Australia
Dua helikopter dilaporkan bertembung di udara pada Khamis di barat Australia, lapor Xinhua.
![[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Gangguan IT global: Apa yang sedang berlaku? [LAPOR LANGSUNG] Gangguan IT global: Apa yang sedang berlaku?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71721379251_grocerystore.jpg)
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Gangguan IT global: Apa yang sedang berlaku?
Sekitar jam 3 petang (waktu Australia) gangguan IT secara besar-besaran dilaporkan berlaku di sana. Adakah Malaysia terjejas?