PERTH, Australia, April 22 -- Bluefin-21 has now completed more than 80 percent of the focused underwater search area and further missions are planned, the Joint Agency Coordination Center (JACC) told Xinhua on Tuesday.

"The search will continue. We are currently consulting very closely with our international partners on the best way to effect this for the future," the JACC told Xinhua by email on Tuesday.

The search of the focused underwater search area is defined as a circle of 10 km radius around the second Towed Pinger Locator detection on 8 April.

According to the JACC, it is important that this lead is pursued to its completion so they can either confirm or discount the focused underwater area as the final resting place of MH370.

"This is clearly of great importance to the families of those on board," the JACC added.

There is nothing found to date, but the JACC still confirmed the current search area is the best lead they have at the moment.

"Both the aerial and underwater search activities for missing flight MH370 continue. At the moment, we are focused on pursuing the best lead we have in relation to missing flight MH370," the JACC said.