KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — The US National Transportation Safety Board said it has dispatched a team to Asia to help investigate the crash of a Malaysia Airlines jet early yesterday that is presumed to have claimed 239 lives.

The NTSB team is accompanied by technical advisers from the US Federal Aviation Administration, the US air safety regulator and Boeing Co, which made the 777-200ER jet that was lost while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

“Once the aircraft location is identified, International Civil Aviation Organisation protocols will determine which country will lead the investigation,” the NTSB said.

Because of the travel time to Asia, the team departed from the United States lasty night so it could be in place to assist without delay, the NTSB said. — Reuters