mm43 and bearfoil, apologies, for I re-read the New York Times article and can't find the reference quote. The article has been revised slightly since it first appeared on-line several days ago, but I don't think they would have taken that out. (I went looking to see when the journalist had interviewed the BEA, as he had interviewed the Brazilian coroner in mid-March, and at least one interview with the BEA thereafter.) So now I am not sure where I read that.
The only recent New York Times reference to the position and flight is that the wreckage is "just about six miles laterally" from the LKP. "Laterally" means 'to the side', and in this context, could be read as being on the same latitude as the LKP.
In parsing American English, "just about" would usually mean a bit less than six miles, --or 'not quite' or 'just short of' six miles. 'About six miles' would be six miles, more or less. 'Just over six miles' is a bit more than six miles.
Last edited by SaturnV; 8th May 2011 at 01:12.