KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — As more criticisms rain on Malaysia over its handling of the MH370 crisis, Putrajaya pointed out today that the aircraft’s mysterious disappearance has baffled not just the local aviation industry but international experts.
Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein repeated that the case is “unprecedented”, and said experts from the world over could learn a thing or two from the experience.
“There are so many aspects to this incident that we need to look at. Not only just in Malaysia but the whole aviation industry globally.
“And from my exposure to the experts from around the world, like I said before, we are looking at an unprecedented situation where a lot of people can learn many things... whether about security, the issue of surveillance,” he told the daily press conference on the crisis, held this time at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC).
But the minister maintained that any improvements to the global aviation industry could only be done at a later date, or at the very least, once MH370 is found.
He said even the foreign experts working with the local team to locate the missing aircraft have been unable to divulge more information than they already have, without any conclusive evidence on the plane’s whereabouts.
“Unless we have more information... and that must come from the plane itself,” Hishammuddin said.
Hishammuddin noted that as of now, the entire search and rescue operation will stick to its current system which hinges on gathering as much information from satellites and radars as volunteered by countries assisting in the search.
The operation will also progressively increase air and surface assets and also increase the number of international experts to study the data and narrow down the search area in their bid to maximise the chances of finding the missing plane, he added.
The defence minister repeated that they are also not discounting the possibility that the plane could have been deliberately steered off course by someone on the plane, though there is little evidence to support the theory.
“As it is there has not been any ransom, or groups making claims... the best course of action for us is what we are doing now which is conducting parellel investigations into the matter,” he said referring to checks on the various leads found since the plane went missing on March 8.
Hishammuddin stressed that the status of the operation remains search and rescue in both corridors, and will continue to be so until the point where they find debris that is confirmed to be part of the missing plane.
“The focus remains in both corridors, but with the latest leads and information from France, Australia and China, a lot of focus is on the southern corridor.
“This all depends on the sightings of MH370... if it is confirmed (debris in the Indian Ocean is part of the plane), then we will bring down the whole operation to the southern corridor.
“But this needs corroboration, otherwise it is not fair to the families of the passengers and crew to shift the search from the northern corridor,” he said.
