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MH370: UK submarine joins search for missing plane MH370: UK submarine joins search for missing plane
(35 minutes later)
British submarine HMS Tireless has joined the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.British submarine HMS Tireless has joined the hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The Ministry of Defence said the Trafalgar class submarine had arrived in the southern Indian Ocean. The Ministry of Defence said the Trafalgar class submarine had arrived in the southern Indian Ocean and would help search for the plane's black box recorder.
The vessel's ability to listen deep underwater could help find the plane's black box recorder, the BBC's defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said. It will soon by joined by Royal Navy coastal survey ship HMS Echo.
The aircraft disappeared with 239 people on board on 8 March while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.The aircraft disappeared with 239 people on board on 8 March while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Earlier on Tuesday, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston - the man co-ordinating the search from Australia - said the hunt was the "most challenging" ever seen and could take weeks.Earlier on Tuesday, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston - the man co-ordinating the search from Australia - said the hunt was the "most challenging" ever seen and could take weeks.
Search for debrisSearch for debris
The MoD said HMS Tireless had "advanced underwater search capability". Nuclear-powered submarine HMS Tireless was launched on 17 March 1984 and holds a crew of 130, plus 18 officers.
Royal Navy coastal survey ship HMS Echo is also due to arrive in the southern Indian Ocean shortly to assist in the operation. An MoD source told the BBC the vessel had "advanced underwater search capabilities, but the task in hand remains a tall order and the search area immense".
The MoD said it would "play an important role in the search for debris on the sea's surface and her advanced environmental assessment capability will help to optimise search operations". "Her deployment is being co-ordinated closely with our Australian and US colleagues."
The source said the submarine was ordered to move from an operational tasking to the search area about a week ago and arrived on Monday.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond informed his Malaysian counterpart of the additional British contribution during a phone call on Tuesday evening.
HMS Echo is expected to begin its work on Wednesday, and the MoD said it would "play an important role in the search for debris on the sea's surface and her advanced environmental assessment capability will help to optimise search operations".
Four RAF personnel on secondment to the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force are also actively involved in the search.Four RAF personnel on secondment to the Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force are also actively involved in the search.
Malaysian authorities have released the full transcript of communications between flight MH370 and Kuala Lumpur's air traffic control. They said there was no indication of anything abnormal in the transcript.
Officials say that based on satellite data they have concluded it crashed into the southern Indian Ocean, but many relatives of those on board have demanded proof and expressed anger at what they perceive as a lack of information.