An independent investigation team comprising an airworthiness group, operations group and a medical and human factors group, will be set up to investigate the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370.    

Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Malaysia will appoint an independent 'Investigator In Charge' to lead the team, as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) standards and recommended practices.  

"The team will also include accredited countries. Malaysia has already asked Australia to be accredited to the investigation team, and they have accepted.  

"We will also include China, the United States, the United Kingdom and France as accredited representatives , along with other countries which we feel are in a position to help," he told a press briefing on the search for MH370 today.

He said the airworthiness group will look at issues such as maintenance records, structures and systems, while the operations group will examine aspects such as flight recorders, operations and meteorology; and the medical and human factors group will investigate issues such as psychology, pathology and survival factors.  

Three ministerial committees

Hishammuddin said the government is also setting up three ministerial committees - the next-of-kin, technical and deployment of assets committees - in order to streamline and strengthen the on-going efforts of the operation.  

The next-of-kin committee headed by Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Hamzah Zainuddin will oversee all aspects regarding the next-of-kin of those on board MH370, providing them with information on the search operation, and offering support after the search operation has been concluded, he said.

The committee will also co-ordinate with relevant foreign governments and complement the work already being done for the families by MAS, he added.

Hishammuddin said the technicalities committee led by his deputy Abdul Aziz Kaprawi will oversee the technicalities, specifically the formation and appointment of the investigation team.  

Hishammuddin, who is also defence minister said the deployment of assets committee will be lead by his deputy Abd Rahim Bakri who will take over issues related to the search operation.

"This committee will work with foreign counterparts involved in the search operation, and liaise closely with the Australian Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre," he said.

- Bernama