Your chance to grill the Premier

Coffee with Colin: Get ready for your second chance to fire a question at Premier Colin Barnett. Source: News Corp Australia

COLIN Barnett is back for more grilling from PerthNow readers – and this time we're doing it on a train.

PerthNow readers are being given the chance to hand-pick the questions they believe the Premier should answer in a new series, dubbed Coffee with Colin.

Each month, Mr Barnett will sit down with PerthNow and answer the 10 questions readers most want answered.

During the first Coffee with Colin last month, the Premier came under fire for telling West Australians who believe Elizabeth Quay and Perth's new stadium should pay the price for education cuts to "get a life".

Thursday's segment of Coffee with Colin will be recorded during a morning commute on a Perth train.

And readers will be able to hear exactly what the Premier had to say – with an audio recording of the monthly chats uploaded to the website.

Simply vote in the poll below and we'll ask the 10 most popular questions – as judged by PerthNow readers – on Thursday.

Is there a question you really want answered? Write your question in the comments below.

We will also be asking the question we believe is the best wildcard question offered by a PerthNow reader in the comments below or on our Facebook page.

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How do we know they’re dead?

As it has unfolded, the mystery of missing flight MH370 and the incredible twists and turns in world news coverage.

"Heartbreaking" conclusion: Malaysian officials said no one survived MH370's crash into the ocean. Picture: AP Source: AP

HOW can they be so sure everyone is dead?

After nearly three weeks of wishy-washy statements from authorities, the families of MH370 passengers were startled out of their agony by an unusually blunt text message from Malaysia Airlines. The plane is in the ocean and all your relatives are gone.

Many couldn't accept it. And why would they? No bodies have been found. There hasn't been any confirmed wreckage.

Look out below: An RAAF AP-3C Orion returns from a mission in the Indian Ocean. Picture: AP Source: AP

Jose Salvador Alvarenga claimed he spent more than a year at sea -- a voyage of more than 12,500km. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

While aviation expert Neil Hansford is sure authorities "haven't told us everything" -- he believes the announcement was based on all the evidence available.

"The reality is that all of the available evidence suggests the poor devils are lost and the aircraft is lost," Mr Hansford told news.com.au.

SEARCH HALTED: FAMILY'S AGONISING WAIT FOR ANSWERS

That takes into account all satellite data released by Australia, France and China as well as the engine data breakthrough overnight.

He continued: "While we all hold out dreams for what happened... this at least gives them (the families) some closure - if they choose to take the closure."

The decision also allows for the progress of insurance payouts, Mr Hansford said, which cannot occur while the families are in limbo, even though the full story may not be known for several years.

Adrift at sea: Salvadorean castaway Jose Salvador Alvarenga washed up on the Marshall Islands on January 30. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

But still, how can Malaysian authorities say "beyond reasonable doubt" there were no survivors?

Stranger things have happened. Just last month, a "castaway" claimed he survived thirteen months adrift in the Atlantic on a leaky boat by drinking bird blood. Although it wasn't clear whether it was a miracle (or he was mad).

If there were MH370 survivors it would be a wonder even greater than the story of Stuart Diver -- the sole survivor of the Thredbo landslide in 1997.

Or that of Brant Webb and Todd Russell, the pair who were rescued from a collapsed Tasmanian mine after two weeks in April 2006.

Lifted: Stuart Diver was the sole survivor of the 1997 landslide. Eighteen died, including his wife Sally. Picture: News Corp Australia Source: News Limited

Survivors: Todd Russell and Brant Webb escaped Beaconsfield Mine with their lives. Source: NewsComAu

Oceanographer Erik van Sebille, from the University of NSW, said it would be near impossible to stay alive in the cold, 10-degree Celsius waters and rough conditions of the Indian ocean.

The area is in a notoriously gusty region of the south Indian Ocean with no land masses to slow the winds down.

"You'd really have no chance if you weren't in a life raft immediately," Dr Sebille said.

The search zone was initially identified as part of a 'southern corridor' stretching south from Kuala Lumpur. Picture: AMSA Source: Getty Images

Desperate hunt: Rescuers search for the missing jet in the Indian Ocean. Picture: AP Source: AP

These satellite pictures, provided by US satellite firm DigitalGlobe, were one of the first breakthroughs in the hunt for MH370. Picture: AP Source: AP

If survivors clung to plane debris it would have dispersed quickly throughout the ocean, he said. The seas would bump it around like a "pinball machine".

It has happened before. Back in 2009, a French teenager clung to life on the back of plane debris when a Yemenia Airlines Airbus crashed into stormy seas off the east African coast.

Baya Bakari, then 13, was the sole survivor of the disaster, holding on for more than 10 hours until rescue teams finally arrived. Cries for help faded away in the dark.

The bodies of more than 80 passengers, including Ms Bakari's mother, were recovered.

But after 17 days missing, experts doubt rescuers will even recover whole bodies of MH370 passengers.

"That's just not going to happen," said Mr Hansford.

"They would have already deteriorated in the water."

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Perth ready to embrace MH370 families

WA Premier Colin Barnett says the state will do 'whatever it can' to assist families of MH370 victims. Source: News Corp Australia

WA's peak hospitality body says Perth will be able to accommodate the families of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines plane, believed to have crashed in the southern part of the Indian Ocean.

Following last night's announcement by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak that new data from satellite images have led them to conclude MH370 is somewhere near the current search area, it is expected relatives will arrive in Perth within days.

A spokesman from Malaysia Airlines told PerthNow the airline was still trying to find a suitable location close to the search area site and hoped to have further details by the end of today.

It is understood the airline is also looking for somewhere to set up a recovery centre.

Premier Colin Barnett said whatever assistance the commonwealth required would be provided through the state's Department of Premier and Cabinet.

``We are in discussions with them,'' Mr Barnett said.

``We will do whatever we can to welcome these families to Western Australia at this very sad time and assist with their stay here.''

Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods said the organisation had contacted Malaysia Airlines and offered to co-ordinate efforts to house relatives in the city.

"What we have done is offered to Malaysia Airlines assistance in co-ordinating available rooms," he said.

Australian Hotels Association WA chief executive Bradley Woods.

"We have done this in the past. On top of that we have communicated to the Office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Consulate and the Malaysian Consulate the same advice.

"We don't know what the specifics will be until they know what, when and how.

"If there are hundreds of family members that come to Perth in a particular period of time, I would imagine we will be able to assist in the provision of rooms.

"It won't be a question of non-availability. And there are hotels in Perth that can easily hold up 600 guests at any one stage."

Perth's Chinese community have also said they would help whatever way they could.

Chung Wah Association president Sammy Yap told PerthNow while it was still too early to say where the relatives would stay when they arrived, he said the association was more than happy to help and was essentially on "standby".

He said it has offered the use of its Northbridge premises saying not only was it central but would be easier for relatives to get to if they are housed in hotels in the city.

"While it is still too early to say what is happening, we are on standby if we are called on to help," Mr Yap said.

Sammy Yap, President of the Chung Wah Association

"What we are doing is actually respecting the wishes of the respective countries such as China and Malaysia which both have consulates in Perth.

"We would be happy to add to that if we are called on to assist, we will."

Earlier today Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the search had moved into "recovery stage" and that Australia would continue to assist in the investigation.

He also announced the Australian government would wave visa fees for relatives of MH370 passengers who chose to come to Perth to await further news of search efforts.

Perth councillor Lily Chen, the president of the Australian Chinese Women's Federation, said emotional support would also be available.

``We will be able to offer them comfort in any form, it is very important to ease the mental stress, sadness and shock,'' Ms Chen said.

Visa fees are expected to be waived for the families of passengers on the doomed flight, which included 152 Chinese nationals, while Defence Minister David Johnston said the logistical issues surrounding the arrival of grieving families were still being considered.

``The PM is very fixed on assisting Malaysia with the families of the crew and passengers,'' Senator Johnston said.

Fremantle Port Authority spokeswoman Ainslie De Vos said the port had not been approached about facilitating the delivery of any objects that might be found in the ocean, but was ready to help if and when needed.

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The final minutes of flight MH370

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says new data confirms that missing Malaysian Airline flight 370 ended journey in southern Indian Ocean. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.

Sad end ... distraught relatives react to the news the plane went down. Picture: Goh Chai Hin/AFP Source: AFP

As it has unfolded, the mystery of missing flight MH370 and the incredible twists and turns in world news coverage.

MALAYSIAN authorities have revealed more about the final minutes of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and now say that it probably plunged into the ocean sometime between 8.11am and 9.15am on Saturday March 8.

The new details, which were garnered from never before used technology, have helped trace the Boeing 777-200's final deadly flight path.

MH370 was last captured by satellite at 8.11am in a wide arc covering two massive northern and southern corridors. This was its last complete "handshake" with the Inmarsat satellite.

After that, at 8.19am there was evidence of the jetliner making a partial handshake with the ground station.

Then, sometime between 8.19am and 9.15am, it was no longer communicating with the ground station.

Investigators have therefore concluded that MH370 disappeared and crashed into a remote area of the southern Indian Ocean during that time.

By this time the jet would have been out of fuel. Authorities have previously said that at 8.11am the jetliner would have had about 30 minutes worth of fuel left.

The news details of MH370's final flight path and its mystery disappearance were released last night by Malaysia's Defence and acting Transport Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, in Kuala Lumpur.

Difficult to watch ... Selamat Omar, 60, who's son Khairul Amri was on a missing Malaysia Airlines plane, reacts while watching a live broadcast of a press conference on the latest developments in the search. Source: AP

They details were analysed by the satellite provider, Inmarsat and the UK Air Accidents Investigation Board, or AAIB.

Authorities are now treating the information as definitive and the search effort, in the northern corridor, has been called off. So too has the search in the northern part of the southern corridor, close to Indonesia.

Australia is now leading the search effort in the southern part of the southern corridor, 2500km south west of Perth which has now been narrowed from 2.24 million square nautical miles to 469,207 square nautical miles.

As many as 12 aircraft are expected to be involved in the search tomorrow, including seven military aircraft and five civil aircraft.

HMAS Success will return to the search area and conduct a surface sweep of an area identified on Monday afternoon by a Royal Australian Air Force P3 Orion as the location for several objects of interest.

GALLERY: The search for MH370

Mr Hussein said he presumed that any debris from the missing plane would be brought to Australia and he suggested that it would fall to Australia as well to investigate.

However under ICAO laws, if the plane crashed in international waters, the investigation is the responsibility of the country of the carrier.

Malaysia's responsibility ... if the wreckage is found in international water the responsibility for the recovery of the missing plane would lie with Malaysia. Source: AFP

Searches were yesterday called off due to bad weather. A further two Korean aircraft were expected in Perth and six Chinese ships are in the search region.

Mr Hussein said that special sonar equipment from America — known as towed pinger locator — was due to arrive in Perth on Wednesday and would be transferred to the Australian ship, Ocean Shield, which is expected to dock in Perth on March 28. The ship and the locator is then due to arrive at the search area on April 5.

The equipment will help in the bid to locate the plane's black box, which holds many of the keys to what happened to the plane and why it veered so far off its course from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

Mr Hussein told the Malaysian Parliament yesterday of his "gratitude" to Australia for its role in leading the search operation.

Meanwhile the Malaysian Police chief yesterday refused to release any findings of the police investigation so far. The investigation continue to focus on four areas — hijack, sabotage or personal or psychological problems among the pilots, crew or passengers.

"I am not ready to release any findings yet because that would jeopardise the ongoing investigations," Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said.

Devastated ... Malaysia Airlines Group CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, left, speaks during a press conference as Nor Yusof, chairman of Malaysia Airlines listens at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Picture: Vincent Thian Source: AP

'WE'RE PRAYING FOR PASSENGERS AND CREW'

The CEO of Malaysia Airlines says the airline has extended its prayers to the families of the 239 passengers on board missing Flight MH370.

Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said he was devastated the passengers didn't make it to their destination alive.

"We do not know why, we do not know how this terrible tragedy happened. But as MAS family, we all praying for passengers & crew of MH370," he told a media conference in Kuala Lumpur.

The airline was criticised for informing relatives by text message that the plane had crashed, but the CEO said they did so as they wanted the families to hear the news before the rest of the world.

Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said all next-of-kin relatives had been paid $5000. He said the Australian Government would only grant visas to relatives once evidence of the plane had been found.

Asked if he would resign, he said it was a personal decision, and it would be taken later.

In Beijing, hundreds of angry protesters, many of them relatives of passengers, gathered at the Malaysian embassy to demonstrate against the Malaysia's handling of the disaster.

The search effort for wreckage from the lost airliner will be boosted with the arrival of a South Korean C-130 Hercules transport and P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft at the RAAF's Pearce base near Perth.

Furious ... Chinese relatives walk towards the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, China, where hundreds of protesters gathered to demand answers from Malaysian authorities about the fate of the flight. Picture: Lintao Zhang Source: Getty Images

The hunt for debris was suspended earlier due to bad weather as huge seas slammed the search area.

At midday today the sea state was estimated at between six and seven on the World Meteorological Organisation chart and that means waves of between four and nine metres.

Such conditions make finding or retrieving any debris virtually impossible and they increase the risk of wreckage sinking under the weight of the waves.

"Due to rough seas, HMAS Success departed the search area early this morning and is now in transit south of the search area until seas abate," the Australian Maritime Safety Authority advised this morning.

"The area is also forecast to experience strong gale force winds of up to 80km/h, periods of heavy rain, and low cloud with a ceiling between 200 and 500 feet."

AMSA said conducting the search in such conditions would be hazardous and pose a risk to crews.

This morning, AMSA stated that search operations were "expected to resume tomorrow, if weather conditions permit", but if conditions continue to deteriorate it could be several days before the search is resumed.

The suspension comes after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed that a new analysis of satellite data showed that the missing plane plunged into the Indian Ocean, presumably killing all those on board.

The cause of the incident remains unknown, although there are increasing suggestions that pilot suicide may have been to blame.

Search suspended ... this satellite image shows severe tropical cyclone Gillian off the Western Australian coast. Credit: Bureau of Meteorology Source: Supplied

Mr Najib said the Inmarsat satellite company had taken advantage of a never-before used technology and found that MH370 flew along the southern corridor.

"Its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean west of Perth," he said 17 days after MH370 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board.

Search mission ... the crew of an RAAF AP-3C Orion aircraft during the search yesterday. Picture: Richard Wainwright Source: Getty Images

The United States Navy is also sending a deep-sea drone to help in the search for the emergency signals that should be being emitted by MH370's 'black boxes'. These signals are supposed to be automatically activated in the event of a crash.

The Bluefin 21 drone is designed to be flown to areas of need before being towed behind a ship at depths where it is still enough and quiet enough to hear the "pings".

The search for the missing Boeing 777 is taking place in a section of the southern Indian Ocean known as the "Roaring Forties" for the strong westerly winds that blow between latitude 40 degrees and 50 degrees.

University of New South Wales oceanographer Dr Erik van Seville said the area was characterised by cold fronts that sweep east every four to five days, causing pounding 6m waves and churning up the icy seas.

"This is the beginning of the roaring 40s, where the influence of the Antarctic continent starts," he said.

"The winds become very strong, the water temperature is about 4 degrees and the waves are very high."

REACTION: Sadness touches all in Malaysia

Satellite data has confirmed flight MH370 carrying 239 people crashed into the southern Indian Ocean.

FORMULA ONE CONCERT CANCELLED 'AS A SIGN OF RESPECT'

A concert to mark Malaysia's Formula One Grand Prix weekend which was set to feature US star Christina Aguilera has been cancelled due to a passenger jet crash, its sponsor said.

State oil company Petronas, which sponsors the Mercedes F1 racing team and the annual concert, said it called off the show as "a sign of respect to the families and next-of-kin of the crew and passengers of flight MH370".

Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that the Malaysia Airlines flight, which went missing on March 8 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, had crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

The concert was to be held Friday and Saturday at the Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers and feature Aguilera, Korean star Rain and R & B musician Craig David.

"It is truly a tragedy and we are deeply saddened about the crew and passengers of flight MH370," said a statement by Petronas on the concert's Facebook page.

Formula One organisers were to meet later today to discuss a possible tribute to victims at this weekend's event.

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg, who arrived in the Malaysian capital earlier, said on Twitter that "all my prayers go to friends & families of the passengers on # MH370".

Malaysia will also host a Eurasia Cup golf tournament and the prestigious Laureus sports awards this week.

Laureaus World Sports Academy, which will honour last year's top sports figures Wednesday, said it would have a reduced program because of the disaster.

Academy chairman Edwin Moses said a football friendly between past greats would be dedicated to those hit by the disaster

FAMILIES INFORMED BY TEXT MESSAGE

Malaysia Airlines informed the relatives of MH370 passengers of the news via SMS message.

"Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived ... we must now accept all evidence suggests the plane went down in the southern Indian Ocean," the text stated.

At the press conference, Mr Najib confirmed the worst fears of passengers' families.

"This is a remote location far from any possible landing sites," he said.

Informed by text message ... grieving relatives after being told the news. Picture: Goh Chai Hin Source: AFP

"It is therefore with deep sadness that I regret that I must inform you that according to this new data that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

"The past few weeks have been heartbreaking. I know this news must be harder still."

The announcement was greeted with an outpouring of grief by the relatives of passengers.

The loved-ones of Chinese passengers, who made up the majority of travellers on the flight, were called to a hotel near the airport in Beijing to hear the announcement. Afterwards, they filed out of a conference room grief-stricken.

One woman collapsed and fell on her knees, crying "My son! My son!"

Heartbreak ... a relative of a passenger on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 cries after hearing the news that the plane plunged into the Indian Ocean. Picture: Goh Chai Hin/AFP Source: AFP

MH370: Copilot's first 777 flight without a minder

ANALYSIS: Recovery operation will stretch Australia's capabilities

ANGER FROM FAMILIES

A statement purporting to be from families of the passengers denounced the airline, the Malaysian government and the military as "the real executioners".

"From March 8 when they announced that MH370 lost contact to today, 18 days have passed during which the Malaysian government and the military constantly tried to delay, deceive the passengers' families and cheat the whole world," the statement read in part.

"We will take every possible means to pursue the unforgivable crimes and responsibility of all three (the airline, government and military)."

The veracity of the statement has not yet been verified.

It refers to 154 passengers who died, suggesting that the statement has been made on behalf of the victims of the families of the Chinese passengers only.

Most of the relatives refused to speak to gathered reporters and some lashed out in anger, urging journalists not to film the scene. Security guards restrained a man with close-cropped hair as he kicked a TV cameraman and shouted, "Don't film. I'll beat you to death!"

The daughter of MH370's chief steward Andrew Nari sent Twitter messages after the news broke. Maira Elizabeth Nari said: "I just don't know what to say about it. :')

In another message, she wrote: "I don't know what to say to all of you, but thank you so much for the support. To my closest friends, thank you. God bless all of you! :') x"

The airline said it would transport families to Perth if parts of the plane are found. It said the "ongoing multinational search operation will continue as we seek answers to the questions which remain''.

Bearer of bad news ... Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak during his press conference. Picture: Joshua Paul/AP Source: AP

THEORY: Was MH370 on a suicide mission?

TOURISM: Has MH370 changed perceptions about Malaysia?

HAND OVER DATA, CHINA TELLS MALAYSIA

China has demanded that Malaysia hand over the satellite data which led to its judgment that missing flight MH370 crashed at sea and that none on board survived.

In a meeting late Monday, Deputy Foreign Minister Xie Hangsheng asked Malaysia's Ambassador to China, Iskandar Bin Sarudin, to provide the "detailed evidence'' that led to the conclusion, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

"We demand the Malaysian side to state the detailed evidence that leads them to this judgment as well as supply all the relevant information and evidence about the satellite data analysis,'' Xie said, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

"The search and rescue work cannot stop now, we demand the Malaysian side to continue to finish all the work including search and rescue,'' Xie said.

Grief and anger ... a relative of one of the Chinese passengers reacts after being told of the latest news. Picture: AP Photo/Ng Han Guan Source: AP

END OF UNCERTAINTY

The news ends weeks of uncertainty over the fate of the passenger jet, although there is still no clear answer as to how or why the plane went down.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said the announcement by the Malaysian PM moved the search to a "new phase".

"It moves it to a stage where we are now investigating an accident," he told reporters in Parliament House.

Mr Truss said "new decisions" will have to be made about the future of operations now and that Malaysia needs to take control of investigations under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation.

He admitted "not a lot of progress" was made overnight and given the weather, there will be further setbacks in the search today.

Radar watch ... crew on board an RAAF AP-3C Orion aircraft search for signs. Picture: Richard Wainwright Source: AP

MASTHEADS REMEMBER VICTIMS

Malaysian newspapers ran striking black front pages on Tuesday in tribute to the victims.

Malaysia's biggest English-language daily, The Star, ran a stark wraparound cover emblazoned with the words "MH370 R.I.P.'' The names of the victims, rendered in small print, made up the letters of the headline.

The New Straits Times' darkened front page showed an aircraft above the words "Goodnight, MH370'' - a reference to the last message from the cockpit, "All right, good night'', before the Malaysia Airlines jet lost contact on March 8.

Malay and Chinese-language papers also ran front pages with black backgrounds, while The Sun, an English-language daily, changed its masthead to black.

The Star said in an editorial that the relatives' "long wait for some form of closure has finally arrived''.

But it called for unsparing efforts to establish the reasons for the crash.

On social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, many Malaysians turned their profile backgrounds black or displayed a plane icon in tribute to the victims.

Waiting out the storm ... the HMAS Success, pictured from an RAAF AP-3C Orion on Monday. Picture: Department of Defence / Leading Seaman Justin Brown Source: AFP

'WE WILL WELCOME FAMILIES': ABBOTT

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said family members of those on board will be embraced if they want to travel to Australia during the search effort.

"This has been a desperately difficult time for thousands and thousands of people right around the globe, particularly in China as well as in Malaysia," the Prime Minister told reporters in Canberra.

"I understand that the loved ones of those on that plane may well wish to come to Australia in coming days and weeks; they will find a welcoming country that is more than willing to embrace them in this very difficult time," he said.

Australia played a key role in identifying the southern Indian Ocean as the most likely crash site.

On March 16, an Australian satellite image picked up what appeared to be debris of about 24 metres in length in the area. A Chinese satellite spotted further debris 120km away two days later.

The confirmation the plane went down came after Prime Minster Tony Abbott announced that two "objects" were located by an RAAF spotter plane. Mr Abbott told Parliament the first object was grey or green and circular and the second was orange and rectangular. Experts believe the orange items could possibly be life rafts.

TIMING: Disaster film shelved

Tough assignment ... a crewmen of an RAAF AP-3C Orion aircraft looks out from an observation window. Picture: Richard Wainwright/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

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Steenkamp ‘scared of’ Pistorius: text

A court has heard Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend in the hip before hitting her fatally in the head.

Defence... Oscar Pistorius claims he shot Reeva Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder. Source: AFP

OSCAR Pistorius's girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp told the athlete she was sometimes scared of him in a text message nearly three weeks before he shot her dead, a South African court has heard.

"I'm scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and how you react to me,'' Steenkamp said in a message after the athlete thought she had flirted with another man, the court heard.

A neighbor of Oscar Pistorius also testified at his murder trial on Monday that she heard gunshots as well as screams from both a man and a woman on the night that the double-amputee runner fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Horrific end ... Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead through a locked toilet door. Source: AFP

The testimony by Anette Stipp matched some of the testimony by other witnesses who have said they also heard a woman screaming around the time that Pistorius killed Steenkamp before dawn on February 14, 2013.

The defence has countered that the neighbors were actually hearing Pistorius screaming in a high-pitched voice after he shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model. Pistorius has said he shot his girlfriend by mistake through a locked toilet door, thinking that she was an intruder in his home.

Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel opened Monday's court session by noting evidence will include analysis of cellular telephones, including two that were removed from the bathroom where the shooting happened.

Investigators had been chasing information on Pistorius' locked iPhone for months and met Apple officials in the United States just before the trial started on March 3. Pistorius has said he forgot the password to his phone.

Oscar Pistorius plans to sell his Pretoria house where he shot dead his girlfriend last year.

Ms Stipp, the neighbour, said under questioning from Nel that she heard gunshots while lying awake around 3am on the night of the shooting, and then heard the "terrified, terrified'' screams of a woman.

"The screaming at that stage just continued,'' said Ms Stipp, who recalled looking out from a balcony at two houses with lights on in the gated estate where her family and Pistorius lived.

She said she told her husband Johan, who previously testified, that the screaming sounded as though a "family murder'' had taken place.

"There was definitely a female screaming for quite a period,'' Anette Stipp said. "You could definitely hear two different voices.''

She said she then heard a second set of shots, and the screaming stopped.

The defence has said that Mr Pistorius fired into the door and then battered the door with a cricket bat to get to Steenkamp after realising she was inside the toilet cubicle. Roux insists that some neighbors who testified mistook the sound of the cricket bat striking the door for gunshots.

Defence lawer Kenneth Oldwadge pressed Anette Stipp on her recollections of that night, questioning whether she was inside her house or on a balcony while hearing what she said were shots and screams, and whether she was alert because she had said she was slightly ill at the time.

Mr Nel has said he will wrap up his case against Mr Pistorius this week after calling four or five more witnesses to support his contention that the Olympian intentionally killed Steenkamp after an argument. The defence will then present its case.

Judicial officials say the trial will continue until May 16, with a recess in April.

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Tourist still critical after lightning hit

Stefanie Wiedenroth who was struck by lightning. Source: Supplied

Stefanie Wiedenroth who was struck by lightning. Source: Supplied

A YOUNG German backpacker who was struck by lightning in rural WA is fighting for her life and remains in a critical condition.

Stefanie Wiedenroth, 22, was struck by lightning on Friday morning and is not expected to survive her injuries.

But tonight, a Royal Perth Hospital spokeswoman told PerthNow that Ms Wiedenroth remained in a critical condition.

Ms Wiedenroth was working for a sheep crutching contractor at Muntadgin near Bruce Rock when she was hit just before 9am on Friday.

Her fellow workers performed CPR on her before taking her to hospital.

She was taken to Bruce Rock Hospital and later flown to Royal Perth Hospital by the Royal Flying Doctor Service

Her parents arrived from Germany to be at her bedside over the weekend.

The 22-year-old's employer Darren Major said he was standing about 25m away from Ms Wiedenroth went down.

"We were getting ready to work and Stefanie was walking around in a paddock getting ready," he said.

"Right above us it was basically blue skies but just off to the west of us there were clouds brewing but nothing to be concerned about; it was basically just a normal day.

"It was just a freak lightning strike, that's the only way I can describe it."

Mr Major said four other people standing close to Ms Wiedenroth at the time the lightning hit were also thrown to the ground but weren't seriously injured.

"I was next to a truck and a spark jumped from the truck to my side, about a two to three inch spark," he said.

"I didn't get pushed over but it certainly made me jump.

"This morning it felt like I've woken up after a game of football — the right side of my ribs are sore and it just feels like somebody has punched me in the back of the head on the left hand side."

Workers performed CPR on Ms Wiedenroth for about six minutes while Mr Major called for help.

It's understood WorkSafe will investigate the incident.

A lightning storm between Merredin and Bruce Rock taken by Western Power Linesman Ryan Ash. Source: Supplied

Shortly after Ms Wiedenroth was hit, Merredin local Ryan Ash photographed the imposing storm in the region.

It is believed this is Ms Wiedenroth's second solo backpacking trip to Australia and her second trip to Muntadgin in the WA Wheatbelt.

Mr Major said Ms Wiedenroth had many friends in the tight-knit community and was well-liked.

"She's full of energy, really enjoyed the country lifestyle. She said it was a totally different experience from Germany," he said.

"We just hope that she pulls through and makes a recovery from this but at this stage I'm not too sure."

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Freo trains running after cable chaos

TransPerth officials assess the damage after a train mishap at Daglish station. Picture: Marie Nirme Source: News Corp Australia

FREMANTLE train services will be running again for morning commuters after repairs were completed on a snapped cable.

Trains began running again at 7.40pm, almost 12 hours after the incident that left services on the Fremantle line in chaos.

Transperth's David Hynes said technicians had been working all day to repair the damage, which was now complete.

"There is still some minor work to be done on the Daglish turnback siding, but this will not affect operations," he said.

TransPerth officials assess the damage after a train mishap at Daglish station. Picture: Marie Nirme

"Trains started running again in both directions at 7.40pm, after which the replacement buses were gradually phased out.

"We very much appreciate our passengers being so patient today — we understand that the situation has been far from ideal."

Transperth will launch an investigation into what caused the problem.

The damaged cable at Daglish station. Picture: Marie Nirme

COMMUTER CHAOS AFTER CABLE SNAPPED

The drama for commuters began just before 8am when it is believed a powerline or support cable was brought down by a train near Daglish Station.

Train services on the Fremantle Line were suspended and replacement buses operated along the full length of the line in both directions.

The line lost power as a Perth-bound train was pulling into Daglish station at 7.56am.

An overhead wire was brought down, but at this stage it has not been determined whether it was a power line or part of the supporting structure, or what caused it to come down.

Passengers were kept on the train at Daglish for about 45 minutes until it was determined it was safe for them to disembark and complete their journey by bus.

The train was unable to reach the platform at Daglish, further complicating matters for commuters who were stranded inside the four-car train without air-conditioning.

Several other trains along the line also lost power but all were able to stop at stations so passengers could disembark onto platforms.

The Midland line was also affected this morning, with delayed services.

Twitter: @KaitlynPST

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New objects found in search: PM

New objects have been located in the Australian search are in the search for flight MH370. Courtesy: Sky News

THE missing Malaysia Airlines plane went down in the Indian Ocean presumably killing all those on board, authorities said after viewing new satellite data.

Malaysia Airlines has informed the relatives of those aboard missing flight MH370 that they believe no one on the plane survived.

The following SMS message was sent to relatives: "Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived. ... we must now accept all evidence suggests the plane went down in the southern Indian Ocean."

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a 1am AEDT news conference that a new analysis of satellite data showed that the missing plane plunged into the southern Indian Ocean.

HMAS Success is in the area and is attempting to recover the objects.

Mr Najib said the Inmarsat satellite company had employed never-before used technology and found that MH370 flew along the southern corridor.

"Its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean west of Perth," he said 17 days after MH370 disappeared enroute from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board.

"This is a remote location far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness that I regret that I must inform you that according to this new data that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

"The past few weeks have been heartbreaking. I know this news must be harder still."

The overnight developments came after Prime Minster Tony Abbott announced that two "objects" were located by a RAAF P3 Orion in the search for MH370.

Mr Abbott told Parliament the first object was grey or green and circular and the second was orange and rectangular.

Distraught family members of those on board were being booked on charter flights to take them to Perth to be near the expected salvage operation.

Bearer of bad news ... Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak after his press conference. Source: AFP

HMAS Success is in the vicinity of the possible debris, about 2500km southwest of Perth, and hopes to be there within hours to recover the objects.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority emergency response division general manager John Young said the P3 Orion had to leave before the HMAS Success arrived last night and it was possible the ship would have to wait until the first light of morning to find the objects.

MH370 WAS CO-PILOT'S FIRST 777 FLIGHT WITHOUT MINDER

"Relocation is proving difficult. That is partially a function of the poor visibility and the fact that the aircraft are a long way apart. It is quite difficult to get the next aircraft or the next ship into the spot to take over the watching where the object is because they are all at the end of their endurance and have to leave," he said.

"You may find that we will be doing this for maybe three or four more days before we are confident that we have either found all of the objects there, or if they are there we simply can't find them. And that's the plan."

Searching for answers ... HMAS Success is nearby and will be there within hours to recover the objects. Source: Supplied

In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's Minister of Defence and Acting Minister of Transport Hishammuddin Hussein told a media conference that the new items had not yet been identified or linked to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

"Two orange objects, approximately one metre in length, and one white-coloured drum were sighted by search aircraft, but remain unidentified and have not been conclusively linked to MH370," he said.

On the way ... the commanding officer of HMAS Success, Captain Allison Norris of the Royal Australian Navy. Source: AFP

"HMAS Success detected two radar targets within the search area but could not locate the targets on further investigation of the area.

"Earlier today a Chinese search plane reportedly sighted objects within the Australian search area. These objects are not in the vicinity of those that were identified by Australian authorities last week.

HMAS SUCCESS CAPTAIN STEERS SHIP THROUGH HOSTILE SEAS

"A few minutes ago the (Malaysian) Prime Minister received a call from the Prime Minister of Australia who informed him that an Australian search aircraft had located two objects in the Australian search area — one circular and one rectangular.

"HMAS Success is in the vicinity and it is possible that the objects could be received within the next few hours or by tomorrow morning at the latest."

Items located ... Malaysian PM Najib Razak takes the call from Tony Abbott. Source: Twitter

Mr Abbott said an RAAF P3 Orion located the two objects about 2.45pm AEDT.

The PM said a US Navy Poseidon, a second Australian Royal Australian Orion and a Japanese Orion are also en route to the search area.

"I caution again ... that we don't know whether any of these objects are from MH370, they could be flotsam,'' he told Parliament.

"Nevertheless we are hopeful that we can recover these objects soon and they will take us a step closer to resolving this tragic mystery.''

On a mission ... Prime Minister Tony Abbott says a US Navy Poseidon, a second Australian Royal Australian Orion and a Japanese Orion are also on the way to the search area. Source: News Corp Australia

Hishammuddin said Malaysian police have interviewed over 100 people, including the families of both the pilot and co-pilot.

"As far as the transcript is concerned, the technical committee is considering releasing it and we will keep you informed about the decision," he said.

"The Inspector General of the Police will attend tomorrow's press conference to answer further questions on the investigation.

"We can also confirm that MH370 was carrying wooden pallets. However, there is as yet no evidence that these are related to the wooden pallets reportedly sighted in the Australian search area."

Hishammuddin said France has now provided two lots of images of potential debris from MH370.

EXPERTS SAY NEW FINDINGS 'COULD BE LIFE RAFTS'

Paul Edwards, former chief of staff of British Army Aviation, told Britain's Sky News the sightings were "quite significant".

"It is certainly encouraging because of the shape, because of the colour orange obviously, it could be from the aircraft.

"The good news is that the aircraft has spotted it and surface ships are in the area which means that quite quickly we're going to get an Australian warship alongside to get eyes on it, and actually identify it and — if it's small — fish it out of the sea. To me that's quite a significant development and very encouraging.

"(As it's only been) a short time, there's more chance of getting there and, crucially, actually identifying it."

Duty ... Leading Seaman Luke Horsburgh stands watch on the bridge of HMAS Success during the search for MH370. Source: AFP

Professor Chris Bellamy, from Britain's Greenwich Maritime Institute, said the orange items could possibly be life rafts.

"I'm afraid that doesn't give much hope that there will be anybody in the life rafts. If the plane broke up then the slides might have inflated automatically," he told Sky News UK.

"We're against the clock here because in the 16 or 17 days since the plane disappeared that stuff could have gone an awfully long way."

The development comes after Chinese aircrew earlier spotted objects in the search area off Perth.

Hunt for clues ... the families of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and his co-pilot Fariq Hamad have been interviewed, say Malaysian officials. Picture: YouTube Source: YouTube

The official Xinhua news agency said earlier on Monday that "white and square" objects were spotted by searchers on board a Chinese Ilyushin-76 plane, which was on its way back to Perth at the time of the sighting.

US Navy P8 Poseidon was unable to relocate the objects after it was tasked to investigate the reported sightings by the Chinese aircraft at 33,000ft.

At the request of the RAAF, one Australian pilot was on board the Chinese plane to join the search.

Chinese icebreaker Xuelong changed its course and was heading towards the area.

Multiple countries are now helping in the search with new satellite images pushing the Australian-led operation towards further areas of potential debris.

Civil and military aircraft from Australia, New Zealand, the US, China and Japan are all taking part in the massive hunt for the Malaysia Airlines plane, which disappeared more than 16 days ago with 239 people on board.

A new sighting ... by a Chinese aircrew today. Source: Supplied

READ MORE: MH370 GIRLFRIEND'S POIGNANT LOVE NOTES

READ MORE: WHY WON'T THEY RELEASE THE FULL CARGO LIST?

After a fruitless day of searching yesterday, satellite images from France provided some fresh impetus. They were reportedly taken on Friday although few details have been released.

"Malaysia received new satellite images from the French authorities showing potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor. Malaysia immediately relayed these images to the Australian rescue co-ordination centre," the transport ministry said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur.

While the statement from Malaysia called the information "new satellite images'', France's Foreign Ministry said they were "radar echoes". It is thought the radar echoes — electronic signals — had been converted into fuzzy images.

PLANE FLEW AS LOW AS 3650 METRES BEFORE VANISHING

New evidence supports previous eyewitness accounts that the missing Malaysian airliner flew as low as 3650 metres over Malaysia before it vanished.

Military radar tracking showed the plane changed altitude after making a sharp turn over the South China Sea and headed back over the peninsula towards the Straits of Malacca, according to a source close to the investigation, CNN reports.

The Boeing 777 with 239 people on board flew as low as 3650 metres feet at some point before it disappeared from radar, according to the source.

Malaysian authorities have not confirmed the CNN report.

READ MORE: THE EU'S AIRLINE BLACKLIST

Dawn to dusk ... a P-3C Orion aircraft sits on the tarmac in Perth. Pic: Rob Griffith. Source: AP

'PALLET' MYSTERY

So far there has been nothing concrete found, only the grainy satellite images and a visual sighting of what appeared to be a wooden pallet which has yet to be located.

Authorities co-ordinating the search yesterday sent planes and a ship to try to "re-find'' the pallet that appeared to be surrounded by straps of varying lengths and colours.

It was seen Saturday by spotters on a search plane, but no images were captured of it and a military PC Orion military plane dispatched to locate it could not find it.

Objects ... satellite imagery from AMSA. Source: Supplied

"That's the nature of it,'' AMSA aircraft operations co-ordinator Mike Barton said. "You only have to be off by a few hundred metres in a fast-travelling aircraft.''

AMSA said the aircraft that spotted the pallet was unable to take photos of it.

READ MORE: WHEN TRAGEDY TURNS TO GRIM ROUTINE

"We went to some of the expert airlines and the use of wooden pallets is quite common in the industry,'' Mr Barton said. "They're usually packed into another container, which is loaded in the belly of the aircraft ... It's a possible lead, but we will need to be very certain that this is a pallet because pallets are used in the shipping industry as well."

More data ... the Chinese satellite image. Source: Supplied

During a visit to Papua New Guinea, Prime Minister Tony Abbott told reporters the satellite images were good leads but it was "still too early to be definite".

"But obviously we have now had a number of very credible leads and there is increasing hope — no more than hope, no more than hope — that we might be on the road to discovering what did happen to this ill-fated aircraft," he said.

LARGE FLOATING OBJECTS

On Saturday it was revealed that a Chinese satellite had picked up what appeared to be a floating object, about 22.5 metres by 13 metres. It was seen about 120km from the position where an Australian satellite image showed what also appeared to be debris of about 24 metres in length.

On the lookout ... Japan's P-3C Orion arrives to help in the search. Pic: Jason Reed. Source: AP

One of the objects located by the French satellite on Friday was estimated to be about the same size as the object captured by the Chinese satellite (22 metres by 13 metres), according to a Malaysian official, who declined to be identified because he isn't authorised to speak to the media.

It was not possible to determine precise dimensions from the French data, the official said.

The Australian image was taken on March 16 and the Chinese image was taken on March 18.

Authorities have not yet officially revealed what date the French image was taken or what it showed.

First light ... a Japanese P-3C Orion readies to join the search. Source: AP

The southern Indian Ocean is thought to be a potential area to find the jet because Malaysian authorities have said pings sent by the Boeing 777-200 for several hours after it disappeared indicated that the plane ended up in one of two huge arcs: a northern corridor stretching from Malaysia to Central Asia, or a southern corridor that stretches toward Antarctica.

Malaysian authorities have not ruled out any possible explanation for what happened to the jet, but have said the evidence so far suggests it was deliberately turned back across Malaysia to the Strait of Malacca, with its communications systems disabled.

They are unsure what happened next.

Prayers ... an electronic billboard in Kuala Lumpur shows a message for MH370. Source: Getty Images

'MYSTERY CALL' DENIED

Malaysian police have denied that a mystery phone call was made to Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the pilot of the missing plane.

It was reported earlier that a mystery woman called the captain before takeoff, raising fears about his motives.

The Mail Online reported that the captain's phone records revealed he took a two-minute phone call from a woman using a mobile phone number obtained under a false identity.

But Assistant Commissioner Datin Asmawati Ahmad dismissed the report as "mere speculations".

Family man ... Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah with his family. Pic: YouTube. Source: Supplied

"Please be advised that the Royal Malaysia Police take no responsibility over the dissemination of such information which originates from unnamed and unverified sources. The news in the tabloid are mere speculations," Asst Comm Ahmad said in a statement.

"We would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that the news was picked up from a foreign tabloid which has no exclusive rights to the details of our investigations.

"Secondly the IGP has never issued any public statement that categorically places the MH370 investigation under an act of terrorism."

In the spotlight ... acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein. Pic: Joshua Paul. Source: AP

RELATIVES STILL FURIOUS

In Beijing, a Malaysian Government team spent a marathon six hours briefing relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers who were on the plane. It was the third meeting and comes after criticism by Chinese relatives that they were being kept in the dark about the search.

"The government wishes to reiterate its commitment and continued engagement with the relatives of those on board MH370," the Transport Ministry said.

Some relatives were still dissatisfied, however.

"I'm so furious,'' said one woman after the meeting in Beijing. "I watch the television every day. Very often I feel like I'm about to go insane. My emotions are all over the place. I asked the Malaysians to give the answers and they said they couldn't."

This weekend's Formula One grand prix in Malaysia is also causing problems, with relatives of passengers on the missing flight forced to move hotels.

Prayers ... messages of support in Kuala Lumpur. Source: Getty Images

The Italian Ferrari team has had a long-held booking at the Cyberview Resort and Spa in Kuala Lumpur.

Formula One commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone told NBC: "I feel terribly, terribly sorry for these people. But it is up to the hotel. What would happen if you told somebody that they no longer had a booking? You would get sued, I'd imagine."

The relatives will be put up at a new hotel as the search continues. Several foreign officials, investigators and journalists are also being forced to move.

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Thief smashes Clancy’s prized fishtank

The smashed fishtank at Clancy's Fish Pub in Fremantle. Picture by venue manager Justin Rogan. Source: Supplied

Staff at Clancy's Fish Pub, Fremantle, say they are disgusted by the senseless attack. Source: News Limited

STAFF at iconic Fremantle fish pub Clancy's are disgusted after a thief broke in and smashed open a prized fish tank, leaving tropical species to die.

Tom Fisher, whose family opened the first of four Clancy's Fish Pubs 26 years ago, says a burglar broke in and stole a large quantity of alcohol before smashing open the display fish tank.

"A couple of the bigger fish were still gasping when they got there and we're trying to get them out to a staff member's fish tank as soon as possible to see if they will survive," Mr Fisher told PerthNow today.

"(It's) a bit sad really. We do a lot of things to make it a lot nicer for families to go out to pubs, which not all pubs do, and its just a bit of a blow," he said.

"We've had many break-ins over the years but generally they're sort of quick, people grabbing some booze and getting out of there, nothing this malicious.

"It just seems completely pointless why he'd just break in just to do that."

Mr Fisher said despite the incident, which happened some time between lock-up at 2am and when cleaners arrived at 7am, the venue would continue to operate as usual today.

Anyone with information is urged to contact CrimeStoppers.

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Father charged with murder of 25-year-old son

Crime scene: police at the Midland unit where a 25-year-old man's body was found. Source: PerthNow

MAJOR Crime Squad detectives have charged a 60-year-old Midland man with the murder of his paraplegic son.

Tyron Paul Honeywood, 25, had been living at home with his father at the time.

Police were called to the Cope Street unit around 8am on Friday after Mr Honeywood's body was discovered.

About 20 police officers, including detectives and forensics officers, examined the unit.

They refused to confirm reports of neighbours who told PerthNow that they heard a man screaming and the sound of someone jumping their backyard fence about 2am.

The father will appear before the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday.

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