Malaysia missing plane: Pinger search 'to take days'

A submersible drone may not be deployed in the search for the "black box" of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 for several days, Australian authorities have confirmed.

Air Chief Marshal (retired) Angus Houston, head of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, said that the device would not be used unless the towed pinger-locator picked up further transmissions.

The search operation is in a race against time as the flight recorders' batteries are due to run out, meaning a signal would no longer be emitted.