Hopes raised, dashed before MH370 find

KEY MOMENTS IN THE SEARCH FOR MH370:

MARCH 2014

* Plane disappeared on March 8 enroute to Beijing carrying 239 people on board

* Initial search focused on the South China Sea, but analysis of flight data led authorities to believe the plane headed to the southern Indian Ocean

* Satellites photograph two large floating objects. Many others are subsequently spotted but turn out to be unrelated debris

APRIL 2014

* Chinese ship detects an underwater pulse signal. More pings are detected by other vessels in subsequent days, but they cease before they are pinpointed

* A deep-sea drone is deployed to scan the seabed, but it finds nothing.

* A 2.5m metallic object is found near Augusta on Western Australia's southern coast. It is ruled out as being wreckage

MAY 2014

* Priority search zone of 60,000sqkm established in the southern Indian Ocean

JANUARY 2015

* Malaysian government says MH370 passengers and crew are "presumed dead", angering next of kin who demand proof

MARCH 2015

* A Malaysia Airlines towelette washes up on a WA beach. It cannot be linked to MH370

APRIL 2015

* Priority search zone doubled to 120,000sqkm

JULY 2015

* Part of a wing is found washed up on Reunion island and later identified as being from MH370

* Remnants of a suitcase are found nearby two days later. Other items also handed in for examination.