Search continues with nothing found by Bluefin 21

Bluefin-21 has searched approximately 50 percent of the focused underwater search area and no contacts of interest have been found to date, the Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) confirmed in its latest update on Sunday.[Special coverage]

According to the JACC, Bluefin-21 completed mission seven in the underwater search area early Sunday morning. To date, it has searched approximately 50 percent of the focused underwater search area. And the eighth mission has commenced. "No contacts of interest have been found to date,"the JACC confirmed.

The focused underwater search area is defined as a circle of 10km radius around the second Towed Pinger Locator detection which occurred on April 8.

In addition, 11 military aircraft and 12 ships will assist in Sunday's search which might be hampered by scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in some areas.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has planned a visual search area totaling some 48,507 square kilometers across two areas.