MH370
The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will involve vast tracts of lands spanning 11 countries as well as oceans, announced acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
"From focusing mainly on shallow seas, we are now looking at large tracts of land, crossing 11 countries, as well as deep and remote oceans.
"The number of countries involved in the search and rescue operation has increased from 14 to 25, which brings new challenges of co-ordination and diplomacy to the search effort," he said, adding that the search for MH370 has entered a "new phase".
He said this at the Malaysian authority's daily press conference on the search for MH370 at Sama-Sama Hotel, KLIA this evening.
The new search area comes after Malaysian authorities confirmed that Flight MH370 which disappeared from civilian radar at 1.21am on March 8 over the Gulf of Thailand had made a turn back and flew westward.
This information has led the search and rescue operation to quit looking in the South China Sea and focus its attention on a northern corridor from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to the northern Thai border and from Indonesia to south of the Indian Ocean.
Hishammuddin said the government since yesterday had began to pull the necessary diplomatic cables to make the new search effort possible.
“In the last 24 hours, the prime minister has spoken to the prime minister of Bangladesh, the president of Turkmenistan, the president of Kazakhstan and prime minister of India.
“Yesterday the Foreign Ministry of Malaysia briefed representatives from countries along the northern and southern corridors.
“At 2pm today, the Foreign Ministry of Malaysia briefed representatives from 22 countries, including those along the northern and southern search corridors, as well other countries that may be able to help.
"These include Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia,” he said.
Following are the other salient points of the press conference:
The search
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Hishammuddin said the search in both the northern and southern corridors will have equal importance.
Malaysia is analysing the new search area and deciding on asset deployment.
It is also requesting data from countries with vast satellite capabilities including US, China and France to assist in the new search.
The plane
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MH370 was only given extra fuel enough for any emergency diversion. The norm is 45 minutes to an hour of extra fuel.
The plane’s diverted trajectory was not pre-determined by Malaysia Airlines.
The pilots
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Pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah and co-pilot Fariq Ab Hamid did not request to fly together.
Cops have dismantled Zaharie’s home-built flight simulator and reassembled it at their office. It is being scrutinised by experts.
Police chief: Police waited seven days to search pilot’s and co-pilot’s house as it was not seen necessary in early stages.
The passengers
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US and China intelligence agencies have cleared all passengers, but Malaysia is still waiting feedback from other countries.
Immediate financial assistance are being given out to families of passengers.
Compensation will only be discussed once MH370 is found.
The investigation
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No alleged hijackers made contact with the Malaysian government.
Security Offences (Special Measures) Act is now been invoked to probe passengers of MH370.
Investigation now not limited to passengers, but all staff that came in contact with MH370, including engineers.
Government denied not working with Interpol, insists it was cooperating with all relevant international agencies.
Security
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Hishammuddin refused to state if failure to detect MH370 earlier on military radar was a breach of air space security, stresses that search is priority for now.
He also denied a breach of standard operating procedure on air space security.
