Pace - "Throwing in the towel" is NOT what has been stated, by either PM Tony Abbott or by Angus Houston.
The actual statement from Houston, and repeated by Abbott, was - "If we don't find wreckage, we stop, we regroup, we reconsider".
This is not, "throwing in the towel".
In other media statements, Houston is reported as outlining that, "much larger", and deeper-diving, equipment may be needed.
"They are being looked at as we speak," he said, adding that partners in the international search will need to discuss "who has the capabilities to do this work" at such depths.
In other words, a re-assessment will be carried out within days, on how best to approach the finding of the wreckage, now that the pinger has ceased and the Bluefin-21 is proving to be incapable of operating at the required depths.
What is going to be discussed, no doubt, is that the only people with the ability and equipment to carry out a successful search for MH370 wreckage, are private contractors such as Woods Hole and Bluewater Recoveries.
These people cost serious amounts of money, and I think the only thing that is really going to be discussed at length, is just which countries are going to fund the hiring of WH and BR - and what percentages each country is going to contribute to the bill for the hiring in of WH and BR.