Malaysian PM: 'According to This New Data, Flight MH370 Ended in S. Indian Ocean'

[TorchTheWitch]

71. not necessarily

The Air France 447 crash into the Atlantic produced some bits of wreckage, but most of the broken up plane along with 104 of the passengers were still inside the broken up plane most of whom were still belted into their seats. strapped into their seats. Hitting the ocean would break up the plane though were it to have broken up in the air the debris field would have been a whole lot wider.

Stuff doesn't float on top of the water for very long though it depends on what it is. Seat cushions will become waterlogged and sink. Even life rafts sink without air inflation. The rougher the seas are the faster stuff sinks as well. This is why it's so important to find a debris field quickly... it's not going to stay together or on top of the water for long or even anywhere near the crash site.

At this point I think they'd be far better off with under water searching.