DHAKA: The underwater drone scanning for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 finished its seventh mission Sunday, having covered about half its intended territory without finding any sign of the missing plane.

CNN reports on Sunday.

It said, ‘this has been the case for 44 days now, which seems like an eternity for the relatives of the 239 passengers and crew on board still hoping for a miracle or, at least, closure’.

The Bluefin-21 drone started its eighth mission soon after the previous one ended Sunday morning, surveying the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean for traces of the Boeing 777.

These efforts may be a main focus of the search, but they aren`t the only part.

Australia`s Joint Agency Coordination Centre announced Sunday morning that up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships will participate in the day`s search. They`ll be looking in two zones that, together, encompass about 18,700 square miles (48,500 square kilometers).

A day earlier, acting Malaysian transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that "experts have narrowed down the search area."

But are they actually closer to finding anything? Hishammuddin conceded, "it`s difficult to say," adding the search "is at a critical juncture."

"I appeal to everybody around the world," he said, "to pray and pray hard that we find something to work on over the next couple of days."

The failure to find clues to the plane`s disappearance does not mean that the operation will stop, only that other approaches -- such as a wider scope or the use of other assets -- may be considered, Hishammuddin told reporters. "The search will always continue."

Still, he said, "With every passing day, the search has become more and more difficult."

Mother Nature isn`t making this task much easier.

Tropical Cyclone Jack is circulating northwest of the search area. And while it won`t hit directly, this system should increase winds and rains on Sunday into Monday.

BDST: 1731 HRS, APR 20, 2014