Royal Navy's HMS Echo joins 'black box' search for missing MH370

The Royal Navy's HMS Echo, which carries sophisticated equipment for detecting underwater signals, has joined the hunt for flight recorders and black boxes from the missing Malaysian plane.

HMS Echo is helping search the southern Indian Ocean after MH370 vanished with 239 people on board on 8 March.

According to the BBC, the Plymouth-based hydrographic survey ship was diverted from gathering data on its way from Oman to the Seychelles to help in the search.

The ship, whose specialist equipment has been adapted to pick up signals from the plane's black box flight recorders, arrived in the search area on Thursday, the report said.

Commander Newell said he has a brilliant team, young, bright and enthusiastic and everyone is working 24/7 to cover the sea bed and observe on the surface.

Cdr Newell said bad weather had also caused difficulties in interpreting the signals.

He added that the ship would continue to provide support until its tasking is reviewed later this month, the report added.