31 March 2014| last updated at 08:08PM
MH370 Lost in Indian Ocean
KUALA LUMPUR:
Following is the statement issued by Defence Minister and acting
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein at the briefing
today on the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370:
31 March 2014| last updated at 08:08PM
MH370 Lost in Indian Ocean
KUALA LUMPUR:
Following is the statement issued by Defence Minister and acting
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein at the briefing
today on the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370:
Following is the statement issued by Defence Minister and acting
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein at the briefing
today on the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370:
Introductory Statement
"Before I begin today’s briefing, I would like to reiterate what Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said this morning. "The international co-operation underway in the search for MH370 is nothing short of tremendous. "The militaries of Malaysia, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, China, Japan and Korea are all working to find the missing plane. "I should also like to point out that Indonesia has given clearance for 94 sorties - by aircraft from nine different countries - to fly in their airspace, as part of this search.
"As Prime Minister Abbott said, it is heartening to see so many different countries working together for a humanitarian cause; to resolve this extraordinary mystery; and to bring closure for the families of those on board.
Prime Minister’s Trip to Perth
"This morning, the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) spoke with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Prime Minister Abbott gave a full update on the status of the search operations, headed out of Perth. "Our Prime Minister has decided to travel to Perth on Wednesday for a working visit to Pearce Air Force base, to see the operations first-hand and also to thank the personnel involved in the multinational search effort, including the Malaysian personnel.
Operational Update
"This afternoon, the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia (Rod Smith) briefed me on the creation of a new Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC), which will be based out of Pearce Air Force base in Perth. "The JACC will be headed by Air Chief Marshal (Rtd) Angus Houston, the former Chief of the Defence Force, Australia. "The JACC will co-ordinate operations between all Australian government agencies and international search teams.
"As per the information that we have received from the Australian authorities, the area of search today is 254,000 square kilometres. "Today, nine military aircraft and one civilian aircraft travelled to the search area.
These planes were:
- two Malaysian C-130.
- one Chinese Ilyushin IL-76.
- one Japanese Coast Guard G5.
- one Australian P3 Orion.
- one New Zealand P3 Orion.
- one New Zealand civilian aircraft.
- one American P8 Poseidon.
- one Japanese P3 Orion.
- one Korean P3 Orion.
Today, 11 ships were also deployed to the search area:
Eight Chinese ships:
- the Xue Long.
- the Kunlunshan.
- the Haikou.
- the Qiandaohu Jian.
- the Jing Gang Shan.
- the Haixun.
- the Dong Hai Jian, and
- the Nan Hai Jian.
Three Australian ships:
- the HMAS Success.
- the HMAS Toowoomba, and
- the MV Barkley Pearl, which is currently transiting in the search area.
"The Malaysian ship, the KD Lekiu, is expected to arrive in the search area on 3 April.
"The ADV Ocean Shield - fitted with the towed pinger locator and a Bluefin 21 autonomous underwater vehicle - is due to arrive in the search area on 3 April.
In Terms of the Sightings of Potential Objects
"On Saturday, five objects were retrieved by HMAS Success and the Haixun.
However, it was found that none of these objects were related to MH370.
"On Sunday, an Australian P3 Orion made visual sightings of seven potential objects. A Korean P3 Orion also made visuals of three potential objects.
"The Chinese ship, the Haixun, was tasked on Monday to retrieve these potential objects
Introductory Statement
"Before I begin today’s briefing, I would like to reiterate what Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said this morning. "The international co-operation underway in the search for MH370 is nothing short of tremendous. "The militaries of Malaysia, Australia, the United States, New Zealand, China, Japan and Korea are all working to find the missing plane. "I should also like to point out that Indonesia has given clearance for 94 sorties - by aircraft from nine different countries - to fly in their airspace, as part of this search.
"As Prime Minister Abbott said, it is heartening to see so many different countries working together for a humanitarian cause; to resolve this extraordinary mystery; and to bring closure for the families of those on board.
Prime Minister’s Trip to Perth
"This morning, the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak) spoke with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Prime Minister Abbott gave a full update on the status of the search operations, headed out of Perth. "Our Prime Minister has decided to travel to Perth on Wednesday for a working visit to Pearce Air Force base, to see the operations first-hand and also to thank the personnel involved in the multinational search effort, including the Malaysian personnel.
Operational Update
"This afternoon, the Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia (Rod Smith) briefed me on the creation of a new Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC), which will be based out of Pearce Air Force base in Perth. "The JACC will be headed by Air Chief Marshal (Rtd) Angus Houston, the former Chief of the Defence Force, Australia. "The JACC will co-ordinate operations between all Australian government agencies and international search teams.
"As per the information that we have received from the Australian authorities, the area of search today is 254,000 square kilometres. "Today, nine military aircraft and one civilian aircraft travelled to the search area.
These planes were:
- two Malaysian C-130.
- one Chinese Ilyushin IL-76.
- one Japanese Coast Guard G5.
- one Australian P3 Orion.
- one New Zealand P3 Orion.
- one New Zealand civilian aircraft.
- one American P8 Poseidon.
- one Japanese P3 Orion.
- one Korean P3 Orion.
Today, 11 ships were also deployed to the search area:
Eight Chinese ships:
- the Xue Long.
- the Kunlunshan.
- the Haikou.
- the Qiandaohu Jian.
- the Jing Gang Shan.
- the Haixun.
- the Dong Hai Jian, and
- the Nan Hai Jian.
Three Australian ships:
- the HMAS Success.
- the HMAS Toowoomba, and
- the MV Barkley Pearl, which is currently transiting in the search area.
"The Malaysian ship, the KD Lekiu, is expected to arrive in the search area on 3 April.
"The ADV Ocean Shield - fitted with the towed pinger locator and a Bluefin 21 autonomous underwater vehicle - is due to arrive in the search area on 3 April.
In Terms of the Sightings of Potential Objects
"On Saturday, five objects were retrieved by HMAS Success and the Haixun.
However, it was found that none of these objects were related to MH370.
"On Sunday, an Australian P3 Orion made visual sightings of seven potential objects. A Korean P3 Orion also made visuals of three potential objects.
"The Chinese ship, the Haixun, was tasked on Monday to retrieve these potential objects
Wife says MH370 pilot 'retreated into a shell': British tabloid
Published on Mar 31, 2014
Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, pilot of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, with his wife Faizah Khan and two of their three children. -- FILE PHOTO: CHINA PRESS
The wife of the pilot at the helm of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 told investigators that he stopped speaking to her in the weeks leading up to the ill-fated flight.
Madam Faizah Khanum Mustafa Khan had allegedly informed investigators that "he retreated into a shell", spending time alone in his room in the house they shared, Britain's The Mail on Sunday reported.
More than three weeks since flight MH370 disappeared with 239 crew and passengers aboard, investigators in Malaysia suspect that the plane may have been deliberately steered off course.
Published on Mar 31, 2014
Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, pilot of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, with his wife Faizah Khan and two of their three children. -- FILE PHOTO: CHINA PRESS
The wife of the pilot at the helm of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 told investigators that he stopped speaking to her in the weeks leading up to the ill-fated flight.
Madam Faizah Khanum Mustafa Khan had allegedly informed investigators that "he retreated into a shell", spending time alone in his room in the house they shared, Britain's The Mail on Sunday reported.
More than three weeks since flight MH370 disappeared with 239 crew and passengers aboard, investigators in Malaysia suspect that the plane may have been deliberately steered off course.
Madam Faizah Khanum Mustafa Khan had allegedly informed investigators that "he retreated into a shell", spending time alone in his room in the house they shared, Britain's The Mail on Sunday reported.
More than three weeks since flight MH370 disappeared with 239 crew and passengers aboard, investigators in Malaysia suspect that the plane may have been deliberately steered off course.
Family, friends condemn British tabloid report on MH370 pilot
Published on Mar 31, 2014
Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah (above), the pilot of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which went missing after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8, 2014. -- FILE PHOTO: THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR - A British tabloid has come under fire from Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah's family and friends over its report that the MH370 pilot was distracted and withdrawn weeks from the March 8 flight that vanished.
The Malaysia Airlines (MAS) pilot has been the subject of investigations by Malaysian authorities after the plane carrying 239 people disappeared, but the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has cleared him after finding nothing in his self-built Boeing 777 simulator, Malaysian Insider reported on Monday.
The Daily Mail had previously reported that Captain Zaharie, who has been with MAS for 33 years and has more than 18,000 flying hours, had personal problems and was a fanatical supporter of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"Dear Daily Mail, You should consider making
Published on Mar 31, 2014
Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah (above), the pilot of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which went missing after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Beijing on March 8, 2014. -- FILE PHOTO: THE STAR
KUALA LUMPUR - A British tabloid has come under fire from Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah's family and friends over its report that the MH370 pilot was distracted and withdrawn weeks from the March 8 flight that vanished.
The Malaysia Airlines (MAS) pilot has been the subject of investigations by Malaysian authorities after the plane carrying 239 people disappeared, but the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has cleared him after finding nothing in his self-built Boeing 777 simulator, Malaysian Insider reported on Monday.
The Daily Mail had previously reported that Captain Zaharie, who has been with MAS for 33 years and has more than 18,000 flying hours, had personal problems and was a fanatical supporter of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"Dear Daily Mail, You should consider making
The Malaysia Airlines (MAS) pilot has been the subject of investigations by Malaysian authorities after the plane carrying 239 people disappeared, but the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has cleared him after finding nothing in his self-built Boeing 777 simulator, Malaysian Insider reported on Monday.
The Daily Mail had previously reported that Captain Zaharie, who has been with MAS for 33 years and has more than 18,000 flying hours, had personal problems and was a fanatical supporter of opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
"Dear Daily Mail, You should consider making
Malaysia tightens flight security in wake of MH370
Published on Mar 31, 2014
A ground staff member drives a tow vehicle past a Malaysia Airlines plane parked at the terminal in Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on March 30, 2014. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) have tightened flight security in the air and on the ground in the wake of the Flight MH370 tragedy.
The pilot and a co-pilot are now not allowed to be left alone in the cockpit, even when one of them is taking a toilet break, according to a MAS circular.
Under the new rules, a cabin crew member has to be in the cockpit until the pilot or co-pilot returns from the restroom.
When bringing food to the cockpit, a flight attendant is required to stand guard at the door to make sure no passenger enters the restricted area.
Datuk Capt Missman Leham, MAS chief pilot for flight safety and human factors, issued the circular to all flight deck crews.
On the ground, MAHB has made it mandatory for anyone taking an international flight to pass through two metal-detectors and undergo a body search before they board.
The travellers must now also remove their shoes, belt, jackets and any electronic devices such as cellphones and laptop computers for separate scanning. Bottled drinking water is not allowed to be brought aboard.
The United States, Britain and Australia had asked that security checks on all passengers flying to the countries be increased.
MAHB has also extended such checks to other international flights and has adopted the same prohibited items list applied by the US Transportation Security Administration.
The rules came into effect the week of March 8, the day that Flight MH370 to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur disappeared with 239 passengers and crew aboard.
A MAS spokesman confirmed that the airline has increased security and enhanced monitoring procedures on board all its aircraft.
"However, for security purposes we are unable to discuss any of these procedures publicly.
"Security checks are mandated by the aviation security authorities and conducted by them," the spokesman said.
There are already several security and safety procedures for cockpit crew and aircraft, a MAS pilot told The Star.
He said there was a rule that pilot and co-pilot were each served a different set of meal, which was to avoid any likelihood of both coming down with food poisoning at the same time.
"Another measure requires crew members to thoroughly check all compartments in the cockpit, cabin, crew rest areas, galley and toilets for any foreign objects before the passengers board.
"Stewards and stewardesses must also watch out for travellers behaving suspiciously or passengers taking hand luggage into the toilet," said the pilot who asked not to be identified.
MAHB reminded all travellers departing from the KLIA for international destinations that they should check in within the stipulated three-hour period.
"This is so that they will have adequate time to clear immigration and security checks. The stringent checks are for the safety of the aircraft, passengers and crew, and everyone should give us their full cooperation," said the spokesman.
Published on Mar 31, 2014
A ground staff member drives a tow vehicle past a Malaysia Airlines plane parked at the terminal in Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on March 30, 2014. -- FILE PHOTO: AFP
KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) have tightened flight security in the air and on the ground in the wake of the Flight MH370 tragedy.
The pilot and a co-pilot are now not allowed to be left alone in the cockpit, even when one of them is taking a toilet break, according to a MAS circular.
Under the new rules, a cabin crew member has to be in the cockpit until the pilot or co-pilot returns from the restroom.
When bringing food to the cockpit, a flight attendant is required to stand guard at the door to make sure no passenger enters the restricted area.
Datuk Capt Missman Leham, MAS chief pilot for flight safety and human factors, issued the circular to all flight deck crews.
On the ground, MAHB has made it mandatory for anyone taking an international flight to pass through two metal-detectors and undergo a body search before they board.
The travellers must now also remove their shoes, belt, jackets and any electronic devices such as cellphones and laptop computers for separate scanning. Bottled drinking water is not allowed to be brought aboard.
The United States, Britain and Australia had asked that security checks on all passengers flying to the countries be increased.
MAHB has also extended such checks to other international flights and has adopted the same prohibited items list applied by the US Transportation Security Administration.
The rules came into effect the week of March 8, the day that Flight MH370 to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur disappeared with 239 passengers and crew aboard.
A MAS spokesman confirmed that the airline has increased security and enhanced monitoring procedures on board all its aircraft.
"However, for security purposes we are unable to discuss any of these procedures publicly.
"Security checks are mandated by the aviation security authorities and conducted by them," the spokesman said.
There are already several security and safety procedures for cockpit crew and aircraft, a MAS pilot told The Star.
He said there was a rule that pilot and co-pilot were each served a different set of meal, which was to avoid any likelihood of both coming down with food poisoning at the same time.
"Another measure requires crew members to thoroughly check all compartments in the cockpit, cabin, crew rest areas, galley and toilets for any foreign objects before the passengers board.
"Stewards and stewardesses must also watch out for travellers behaving suspiciously or passengers taking hand luggage into the toilet," said the pilot who asked not to be identified.
MAHB reminded all travellers departing from the KLIA for international destinations that they should check in within the stipulated three-hour period.
"This is so that they will have adequate time to clear immigration and security checks. The stringent checks are for the safety of the aircraft, passengers and crew, and everyone should give us their full cooperation," said the spokesman.
The pilot and a co-pilot are now not allowed to be left alone in the cockpit, even when one of them is taking a toilet break, according to a MAS circular.
Under the new rules, a cabin crew member has to be in the cockpit until the pilot or co-pilot returns from the restroom.
When bringing food to the cockpit, a flight attendant is required to stand guard at the door to make sure no passenger enters the restricted area.
Datuk Capt Missman Leham, MAS chief pilot for flight safety and human factors, issued the circular to all flight deck crews.
On the ground, MAHB has made it mandatory for anyone taking an international flight to pass through two metal-detectors and undergo a body search before they board.
The travellers must now also remove their shoes, belt, jackets and any electronic devices such as cellphones and laptop computers for separate scanning. Bottled drinking water is not allowed to be brought aboard.
The United States, Britain and Australia had asked that security checks on all passengers flying to the countries be increased.
MAHB has also extended such checks to other international flights and has adopted the same prohibited items list applied by the US Transportation Security Administration.
The rules came into effect the week of March 8, the day that Flight MH370 to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur disappeared with 239 passengers and crew aboard.
A MAS spokesman confirmed that the airline has increased security and enhanced monitoring procedures on board all its aircraft.
"However, for security purposes we are unable to discuss any of these procedures publicly.
"Security checks are mandated by the aviation security authorities and conducted by them," the spokesman said.
There are already several security and safety procedures for cockpit crew and aircraft, a MAS pilot told The Star.
He said there was a rule that pilot and co-pilot were each served a different set of meal, which was to avoid any likelihood of both coming down with food poisoning at the same time.
"Another measure requires crew members to thoroughly check all compartments in the cockpit, cabin, crew rest areas, galley and toilets for any foreign objects before the passengers board.
"Stewards and stewardesses must also watch out for travellers behaving suspiciously or passengers taking hand luggage into the toilet," said the pilot who asked not to be identified.
MAHB reminded all travellers departing from the KLIA for international destinations that they should check in within the stipulated three-hour period.
"This is so that they will have adequate time to clear immigration and security checks. The stringent checks are for the safety of the aircraft, passengers and crew, and everyone should give us their full cooperation," said the spokesman.
PERTH: : All evidence points to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 being lost in the remote Indian Ocean, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, backing his Malaysian counterpart’s view that the plane crashed.
The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing vanished on March 8 carrying 239 passengers and crew, but more than three weeks later no wreckage has been found.
Many relatives of those on board have been incensed at the announcement on March 24 by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that — based on detailed analysis of satellite data — the plane could be presumed lost at sea.
But Abbott said he agreed with Najib’s conclusions.
“The accumulation of evidence is that the aircraft has been lost and it has been lost somewhere in the south of the Indian Ocean,” he told reporters at the Perth military base coordinating the search.
“That’s the absolutely overwhelming wave of evidence and I think that Prime Minister Najib Razak was perfectly entitled to come to that conclusion, and I think once that conclusion had been arrived at, it was his duty to make that conclusion public.”
Australia is coordinating the international hunt for the missing Boeing 777, which involves about 100 personnel searching from onboard surveillance aircraft and 1,000 sailors in ships in or near the search zone.
“This is an extraordinarily difficult exercise. We are searching a vast area of ocean and we are working on quite limited information,” Abbott said.
“Nevertheless, the best brains in the world are applying themselves to this task, all of the technological mastery that we have is being applied and brought to bear here. If this mystery is solvable, we will solve it. But I don’t want to underestimate just how difficult it is.” The Australian leader refused to put a time limit on the search, saying:
“We can keep searching for quite some time to come. The intensity of our search and the magnitude of our search is increasing, not decreasing.”
“We owe it to the families, we owe it to everyone that travels by air, we owe it to the governments of the countries who had citizens on that aircraft, we owe it to the wider world which has been transfixed by this mystery for three weeks now,” he said.
“We owe it to everyone to do everything we reasonably can.” --AFP
Many relatives of those on board have been incensed at the announcement on March 24 by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak that — based on detailed analysis of satellite data — the plane could be presumed lost at sea.
But Abbott said he agreed with Najib’s conclusions.
“The accumulation of evidence is that the aircraft has been lost and it has been lost somewhere in the south of the Indian Ocean,” he told reporters at the Perth military base coordinating the search.
“That’s the absolutely overwhelming wave of evidence and I think that Prime Minister Najib Razak was perfectly entitled to come to that conclusion, and I think once that conclusion had been arrived at, it was his duty to make that conclusion public.”
Australia is coordinating the international hunt for the missing Boeing 777, which involves about 100 personnel searching from onboard surveillance aircraft and 1,000 sailors in ships in or near the search zone.
“This is an extraordinarily difficult exercise. We are searching a vast area of ocean and we are working on quite limited information,” Abbott said.
“Nevertheless, the best brains in the world are applying themselves to this task, all of the technological mastery that we have is being applied and brought to bear here. If this mystery is solvable, we will solve it. But I don’t want to underestimate just how difficult it is.” The Australian leader refused to put a time limit on the search, saying:
“We can keep searching for quite some time to come. The intensity of our search and the magnitude of our search is increasing, not decreasing.”
“We owe it to the families, we owe it to everyone that travels by air, we owe it to the governments of the countries who had citizens on that aircraft, we owe it to the wider world which has been transfixed by this mystery for three weeks now,” he said.
“We owe it to everyone to do everything we reasonably can.” --AFP
Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott is guided around a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft by Australia's Air Force Group Commander Craig Heap (second from leftL) during Abbott's visit to RAAF Base Pearce near Perth. REUTERS Photo
Read more: MH370 Lost in Indian Ocean: 'Overwhelming' evidence that airliner is lost - Latest - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/latest/font-color-red-mh370-lost-in-indian-ocean-font-overwhelming-evidence-that-airliner-is-lost-1.541398#ixzz2xW2c1TuA
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