KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 — The co-pilot of the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 had just completed his evaluation to fly the Boeing 777-200ER plane, the flag carrier said today.
Responding to a question on whether Fariq Abdul Hamid’s experience may have been a factor in the mystery of the Beijing-bound plane that disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board, MAS chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya acknowledged that the aviator was recently-promoted to the 777 class.
“The co-pilot is new to the type, he was moved up from our lower fleet,” Ahmad Jauhari said during the daily press conference on the search for MH370 here today.
Explaining that the airline was “very strict” in ensuring that pilots coming through the ranks were properly evaluated for the task, the MAS chief said junior aviators were assigned a “check co-pilot” to monitor their performance for the first five flights on a new aircraft type, during which they must fly the plane.
An ambulance was sent to Hotel Bangi in Putrajaya where the Chinese families of MH370 passengers are staying. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Chinese families of MH370 passengers seen at the lobby of Hotel Bangi in Putrajaya after the news conference. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Families of MH370 passengers seen at the lobby of Hotel Bangi in Putrajaya after the news conference. — Picture by Choo Choy May
Relatives of passengers aboard MAS flight MH370 cry after watching a television broadcast of a news conference, in the Lido hotel in Beijing, March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
Relatives of passengers aboard MAS flight MH370 cry after watching a television broadcast of a news conference, in the Lido hotel in Beijing, March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
A family member of a passenger aboard MAS flight MH370 falls down an escalator as he cries after watching a television broadcast of a news conference, in the Lido hotel in Beijing, March 24, 2014
A family member of a passenger aboard MAS flight MH370 cries after watching a television broadcast of a news conference, in the Lido hotel in Beijing, March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
Prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (second left) confirmed today at a surprise press conference that the missing MAS jetliner MH370 'ended' its journey in the southern Indian Ocean. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng
Prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (second left) arrives at the surprise press conference on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 at PWTC, on March 24, 2014. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng
Prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (centre) arrives at the surprise press conference on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 at PWTC, on March 24, 2014. — Picture by Saw Siow Feng
A Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force Lockheed P-3C Orion aircraft takes off on a search for the missing MAS flight MH370 at RAAF base Pearce on March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
Able Seaman Kurt Jackson keeps watch on the forecastle of the HMAS Success during a search for the missing MAS flight MH370, on March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
Able Seaman Emma Searle of the Australian Navy ship, the HMAS Success, during a search for the missing MAS flight MH370, on March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
A family member of a passenger on board MAS flight MH370 smokes in front of a message board dedicated to the passengers at Lido Hotel, in Beijing March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
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Relatives of passengers on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 pray at a praying room at Lido Hotel in Beijing March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
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Relatives of passengers on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 pray at a praying room at Lido Hotel in Beijing March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
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Lit candles are placed in front of a message board dedicated to passengers on board the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in Beijing March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
Two Japanese Government P-3 aircraft are pictured at sunset upon their arrival at Royal Australian Air Force base Pearce March 23, 2014 in Bullsbrook near Perth. — Reuters pic
Japanese Commander Hidetsugu Iwamasa (left) speaks with a member of Japan's Disaster Relief Team upon Iwamasa's arrival aboard one of two Japanese Government P-3 aircraft at Royal Australian Air Force base Pearce, March 23, 2014 in Bullsbrook. — Reuters pic
Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Russell Adams speaks to members of the media in front of an AP-3C Orion plane at the RAAF Pearce Base in Perth, March 23, 2014 after returning from the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. — Reuters pic
A three-year-old boy, a family member of a passenger on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, is seen during a routine briefing given by Malaysian representatives at Lido Hotel in Beijing March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
A mother writes a message to her son on a board dedicated to passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at Lido Hotel, in Beijing March 24, 2014. — Reuters pic
Two Chinese Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft, which are expected to join the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, are pictured at the Royal Australian Air Force base Pearce in Bullsbrook, near Perth, March 23, 2014. — Reuters pic
MH370 was Fariq’s sixth on the 777, and the first without a pilot assigned to monitor him.
But Ahmad Jauhari insisted that this was not an issue, noting that captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a qualified trainer for the Boeing jetliner.
“The co-pilot was flying with an examiner; the captain is a certified 777 examiner,” Ahmad Jauhari said.
MAS previously said its records indicated that Fariq was believed to be the person who made MH370’s final radio transmission saying, “All right, good night”, at 1.19am on March 8.
Malaysian air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane three minutes later, when its transponder was deactivated.
The authorities believe, based on radar and satellite data, that the plane was deliberately piloted off-course after the system shutdown but it is unknown as yet if this was the result of a mechanical failure on board or a more sinister reason, such as terrorism or hijacking.
The police have been ordered to dig deeper into the backgrounds of the 12 crew and 227 passengers after Malaysian authorities confirmed that the flight’s communications had been deliberately disabled before the Boeing 777-200ER swerved left from its eastward route to Beijing.
On March 15, the police had searched Zaharie’s and co-pilot Fariq’s houses, where they had recovered a self-built flight simulator, among other items, from the former’s home.
Malaysia has sent the home-made flight simulator to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US to retrieve and analyse the deleted data.
Last Wednesday, acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein reminded the public that all 239 people on board MH370 remain innocent until proven guilty.
Malaysia law enforcement officials previously informed the US counterparts that nothing suspicious was found on the personal computers of Zaharie and Fariq.