SEREMBAN: The search for Malaysia Airlines' flight MH370 will be focused on 58 spots in a 60,000 sq km area of the Indian ocean.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the locations were identified in a latest survey by the international search team.
He said in the survey conducted at the arc-shaped priority area, about 1,600km from Perth, the search team found that there were 58 spots where hard objects were lying on the seabed.
"Although the hard objects can be anything, from rocks to ship wreckages or a plane, the finding gives us where to focus in the next stage of search.
"An underwater search using deep sea equipment will be conducted at these spots soon," he told reporters at a press conference today.
Liow was in Seremban to launch the Negeri Sembilan state MCA annual general meeting.
He said the underwater search may take about a year to complete.
Meanwhile, on the repatriation of the third batch of MH17 vitims, Liow said the flight carrying remains of seven Malaysians and two Dutch citizens (husbands of two Malaysians who had also perished in the tragedy) is scheduled to arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 8.30am on Tuesday.
He said the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to attend.