ShareTweetEmailReactSEPANG, March 12An unidentified aircraft was last detected 200 miles northwest of Penang at 2.15am early Saturday morning, along the Straits of Malacca.This was revealed by Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief Tan Sri Rodzali Daud and Armed Forces chief Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin at a press conference at the Sama-Sama Hotel this afternoon to disclose latest information on the status of missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370.Meanwhile, according to the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, the military radar could not identify the plane, only its presence.Rodzali clarified his earlier statements, saying that the information on the unidentified aircraft was still being investigated and corroborated with other authorities.He also denied again that he earlier said the unidentified aircraft was missing flight MH370.This was why search and rescue operations were split early on between the Gulf of Thailand and the west side of Peninsular Malaysia.However based on commercial radar, the last confirmed location of MH370 was over the South China Sea at 1.21am early Saturday morning.Hishammuddin said that search and rescue operation would now be expanded to over 27,000 square nautical miles; 12,425 square nautical miles in the Straits of Malacca and 14,400 square nautical miles in the South China Sea.If the unidentified aircraft that was detected by military radar is confirmed to be MH370, Hishammuddin promised to release the military radar recordings to the public the next day.Reporters were told that officials from the United States’ Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) will assist in analysing the findings.“We are not going to stop search and rescue operations until we find the aircraft,” Hishammuddin said in response to questions on whether it was time to switch to search and recovery operations.On search and rescue efforts to locate MH370, Hishammuddin told the press conference that India, Japan and Brunei have now offered their assistance, making it 12 countries involved in the operations.“A total of 42 ships and 39 aircrafts have been deployed as of now,” he said.With regards to the conflicting reports and criticism on the way this crisis is being handled, Hishammuddin said “this is an unprecedented tragedy which involves various nations over a very vast area.”“We have to base investigations on every possibility. Our efforts have been transparent in the way this is being managed and the authorities have been consistent,” he said.On the earlier reported five missing passengers, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) confirmed again that those who checked in were on board and there was no baggage off-loaded.MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahaya, who was also present at the press conference, said there were 4 passengers who booked the flight, but they did not turn up or check in.“Another four passengers replaced them,” he added, without elaborating further.On reports claiming that MH370′s co-pilot Fariq Ab Hamid had allowed an Australian female passenger to enter the cockpit on a previous flight, Ahmad Jauhari said it was against company policy as it could compromise the safety of all passengers.MH370 lost radio contact early Saturday morning, prompting a massive search and rescue operation to locate the aircraft that was carrying 239 passengers, of which 38 were Malaysians, and 12 crew members.MH370 left the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at 12.41am early Saturday morning and was expected to land in Beijing at 6.30am.Tower however lost contact with the flight about 120 nautical miles off Kota Bharu, Kelantan.The aircraft’s last known coordinates were 065515N and 1833443E.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Mar 2014 05:17:09 +0000
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