MH370 Phase 2: 5 m Resolution Sonar Images from Indian Ocean Search

Side Scan Sonar, Synthetic Aperture Sonar, and multibeam sonar backscatter data at 5-meter resolution, collected during the Phase 2 search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau led the operation, with data acquired by autonomous and towed vehicles from vessels including Fugro Supporter and Go Phoenix between September 2014 and January 2017. Geoscience Australia advises attribution to the Governments of Australia, Malaysia, and the People's Republic of China.

Use Cases

• Train object detection models for underwater wreckage based on high-resolution sonar imagery.
• Analyze seafloor topography and bathymetry for geological studies based on multibeam sonar data.
• Develop data visualization tools for maritime search and rescue operations based on geospatial sonar surveys.
• Benchmark image processing algorithms for synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) data based on the described sensor types.

Strengths

• Data resolution is explicitly stated as 5 meters.
• Collection period is specified as September 2014 to January 2017.
• Specific sensor platforms are named, including Kongsberg AUV Hugin 1000 and Edgetech 2400 Deep Tow.
• Data provenance is clearly attributed to a multinational government-led investigation.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and dataset size are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the specific search operation.

Provenance

Source

Geoscience Australia, on behalf of the Governments of Australia, Malaysia, and the People's Republic of China.

Collection Method

Collected via marine surveys using Side Scan Sonar (SSS), Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS), and multibeam sonar systems deployed from multiple vessels.

Time Range

September 2014 to January 2017

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-25 16:22:53.182240; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Southern Indian Ocean (search area for flight MH370)