Ok looks approx 80 km apart if crossing perpendicular to arcs. But at heading of perhaps 160. So distance is then in the vicinity of 120 km. In 8 minutes. This final phase seems a bit fast given current estimates of speed after turned south.
Maybe we are reading too much into this picture. Have we been given the angle to satellite for this 7th ping? If not, perhaps it should be thought of as an illustration for media rather than scaled drawing.
Regarding lower speed, maybe flew lower level to avoid contrails. Not unreasonable if you accept earlier flight path was chosen to avoid detection. Lower speed and higher fuel burn.
Pingers on final arc? Was final arc perhaps the ditching? Or else turn back west into wind.
What do people think about not capturing pingers today? We have been advised of gradual reduction in output towards end if battery life. This is not consistent with a 2 hour signal one day and none the next.