EVEN as the search and rescue operation of the missing Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) flight MH370 enters its seventh day today, there is still no sign of where the aircraft might possibly be.
Malaysia’s acting transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, dismissed several news reports yesterday, saying that stories suggesting the aircraft might have continued flying for some time after losing contact were inaccurate.
“The last transmission from the aircraft was at 01.07 (on March 8), which indicated that everything was normal.”
He said: “As far as Rolls-Royce and Boeing (which have been helping with the investigation) are concerned, those reports are inaccurate.
“Whenever there are new details, these must be corroborated. On the Chinese satellite imagery, a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency surveillance plane was despatched yesterday morning to investigate potential debris shown on Chinese satellite images.
“We deployed our assets but found nothing. We contacted the Chinese embassy who notified us that the images were released by mistake and did not show any debris from MH370.”
On reports that the aircraft might have passed over the Straits of Malacca, Hishammuddin said extra ships and aircraft have been dispatched to search the area over the Straits of Malacca, but main efforts have always been on the South China Sea.
He also dismissed the idea that the aircraft could have been hijacked by terrorists.
He added that the search has intensified for the missing aircraft and refuted claims that Malaysia had slowed down efforts.
“We have extended the search area because it is our duty to follow every lead and we owe it to the families. Trust me when I say we will not give up.”
