Bad weather suspends Flight MH370 search operations again

The search for wreckage from Flight MH370 was called off Thursday for the second time this week as the weather worsened in the Indian Ocean with planes and ships ordered out of the area.

“Today’s search operations have been suspended due to bad weather. All planes are returning to Perth & ships are leaving search area,” the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) tweeted.

Six military planes from Australia, China, Japan and the United States were flying sorties along with five civil aircraft, scouring two areas in the remote southern Indian Ocean covering a cumulative 78,000 square kilometres.

Five ships were also in the search zone, including Australia’s HMAS Success and Chinese vessels Xue Long, Kunlunshan, Haikou and Qiandaohu.

Earlier Thursday, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology warned of impending thunderstorms and high winds in the search area 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth.