Originally Posted by
Harry Wayfarers
... Seriously though, it's all very well having these search vessels out there but they get paid regardless if they find the thing or not thus it is likely that they may merely go through the motions ... Try offering a (very big) incentive for finding the thing whilst allowing them their own discretion of which area of ocean they believe it may be in.
Basically, they were paid to image a large section of the Indian ocean seabed. So it is well documented that they did the job that they were tasked to do.
Responding to those who describe this as a complete waste of the money:
Of course, the Australians will likely find uses for that data. If the search is ever to be continued, a huge section of seabed has been eliminated. So it's not a complete waste.