Sea bed search for MH370 debris to probe area the size of Tasmania

A new search mission probing an area the size of Tasmania is set to be launched in a bid to find flight MH370.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss has announced Dutch company Fugro has won a tender to search a 60,000 square kilometre area of the Indian Ocean floor.

Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappeared in March with 239 people on board, after losing contact with air traffic control less than an hour after take-off.

Mr Truss told a press conference he remains “cautiously optimistic” the lost Malaysian airliner will be found, but conceded the search would be a “challenging one”.

Fugro will use two vessels equipped with towed deep water vehicles to hunt for debris in the operation which could take up to a year, at a cost of up to $52m .

Mr Truss said it was likely any debris found would be brought to Australia because it is the closest country but the investigation would still be run by Malaysian authorities.

Australian and Chinese vessels have surveyed about 60 percent of the search area since April.