PETALING JAYA, March 10 — FLIGHTRADAR24 (FR24) chief executive officer Fredrik Lindahl said Malaysian authorities could have conducted precise search and rescue operations if they had noted MH370 dropping from the radar after 40 minutes and not after two hours.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) only confirmed Flight MH370’s disappearance after 15 hours at 10pm on Saturday, the last reported position by FR24 showed.

“We were not aware of the situation until MAS went public with a statement after five hours,” he said.

“At that point we could only check our historic data for the flight. 

“Unfortunately, there’s no way for us to tell when an accident has happened.

“FR24 is not affiliated with any emergency agencies because we only function as a real-time flight tracking service. 

“However, the incorrect time reports by MAS delayed search and rescue operations.”

The MAS Boeing 777 flight was reported missing between Malaysia and Vietnam.

The aircraft took off from Kuala Lumpur at 16.41 UTC time (12:41am Malaysian time) on Saturday and disappeared from Flightradar24 at 17.20 UTC (1.20am). 

At 23.24 UTC (7.24am) MAS said the aircraft had lost contact with air traffic control at 18.40 UTC (2.40am) — two hours after take-off.

It took 11 hours until a search and rescue operation was started in the areas surrounding the Gulf of Thailand at 03.00 UTC (10pm), where Flightradar24 reported it lost radar contact.

“This incorrect time report made the media speculate all night about a crash in the jungle somewhere between Vietnam and China,” Lindahl said.

“It’s frustrating that incorrect reports were made instead of using FR24’s precise report.”

Flightradar24 is a flight tracking service that provides real-time information on thousands of aircraft around the world.

Its services are available online and through mobile phone apps.  

 Boeing declined to provide any statement regarding its efforts.

It released a press statement on Saturday, in which it offered its deepest concern to families of those onboard MH370.

It also stated that Boeing will provide the US National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) with technical advisers, who are en route to offer assistance.