BREAKING: Here are key points from the just concluded press conference by Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Department of Civil Aviation director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman: 1) Search and rescue main continues to be the main focus. New Zealand is the latest country to join efforts, with a Lockheed P-3 Orion aircraft. In the West Coast, search and rescue operations have been extended and expanded. 2) Authorities are trying to verify reports of a sighting of what looks like an inverted life raft in the sea. Ships being sent to investigate reports. 3) Claims of a Chinese group taking responsibility for case - Hishammuddin says all allegations will be investigated, but the primary focus is to locate aircraft. We can relay this kind of information to agencies to investigate but we dont want it to distract ongoing operations. 4) Hishammuddin also said authorities have done a study of the whole passenger manifest. We have the capacity to detail every single aspect of the passengers involved. Information has to be delivered to relevant authorities. When it doesnt affect the investigation, you will be the first to know, he told media. 5) He added that pictures of the passengers on stolen passports have been released to international intelligence agencies that have access to information such as biometrics, dates of birth, fingerprints, etc. 6) Declined to answer question on whether police report in Kelantan where a low-flying plane was allegedly sighted early in the morning of March 8. 7) When asked about the issue of the stolen passports, Hishamuddin put it in perspective by stating that there are 40 million passports reported missing to Interpol. 8) Security in Malaysian airports remain the same as the government is not treating this as a security threat yet. 9) Repeated calls to not disseminate unverified information, to not distress families of passengers with false information.
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 13:52:48 +0000
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