MH370 FLIGHT : Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak full Press Statement 24/3/2014

This evening I was briefed by representatives from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). They informed me that Inmarsat, the UK company that provided the satellite data which indicated the northern and southern corridors, has been performing further calculations on the data. Using a type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort, they have been able to shed more light on MH370’s flight path.

Based on their new analysis, Inmarsat and the AAIB have concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor, and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.

This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

We will be holding a press conference tomorrow with further details. In the meantime, we wanted to inform you of this new development at the earliest opportunity. We share this information out of a commitment to openness and respect for the families, two principles which have guided this investigation.

Malaysia Airlines have already spoken to the families of the passengers and crew to inform them of this development. For them, the past few weeks have been heartbreaking; I know this news must be harder still. I urge the media to respect their privacy, and to allow them the space they need at this difficult time.

MH370 : Last communications with the satellite was in one of two possible corridors.said.. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at Saturday's news conference.

LIVE UPDATES FROM THE ‪#‎MH370 PRESS CONFERENCE AT KLIA

15th March 2014, 2:18PM

By the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak

* We have conducted search operations over land and sea, in the South China Sea, Straits of Melaka, The Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean. At every stage we acted on verified information and followed every credible lead, which sometimes led us nowhere.

* There has been intense speculation. We understand the desperate need for information. On behalf of the families and those watching around the world, we have a responsibility to the investigation and the families to only release information that has been confirmed and corroborated.

* The search was done near MH370’s last known position at the South China Sea. At the same time it was brought to our attention by RMAF that based on their primary radar the aircraft (unidentified) made a turn back and flew north to Straits of Melaka.

* Data was corroborated with relevant authorities, we expanded area of search to include Straits of Melaka and later to the Andaman Sea

* Earlier this morning, PM was briefed by FAA, NTSB, AAIB, the Malaysian authorities and the acting Minister of Transport on new information that shed further light on what happened to MH370.

* Based on new satellite communications, we can say with high degree of certainty that the aircraft communications system was disabled just before the aircraft reached the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Shortly afterwards near the border between Malaysia and the Vietnamese air traffic control, the aircraft’s transponder was switched off. From this point onwards, the RMAF primary data showed that an aircraft which was believed (but not confirmed) to be MH370 did a turn back and went northwest of Malaysia. This movement was consistent with deliberate action by someone on the plane.

* Based on raw satellite data which was obtained from the satellite data’s service provider, we can confirm that the aircraft shown in the primary radar data was MH370.

* After much forensic work and deliberation - the FAA, NTSB, AAIB and the Malaysian authorities who had been working separately on the same data concur: according to the new data, the last confirmed communications between plane and satellite was at 8.11am local time on Saturday 8 March. The investigation team is making further calculation which will indicate how far aircraft may have flown after last point of contact to help us to refine search.

* We are unable to confirm the precise location of the plane when it last made contact with the satellite. However, based on new data, the aviation authorities of Malaysia and their intentional counterparts have determined that the last communications with the satellite was in one of two possible corridors: Northern Corridor: approximately at the border of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan to Northern Thailand. Or Southern corridor stretching approximately from Indonesia to the Southern Indian Ocean.

* In lieu of the latest development, Malaysia refocused their investigation to crew and passengers on board. Despite media reports that the plane was hijacked, I wish to be very clear, that investigation is still ongoing to determine why it deviated from its original flight path.

* The new information has significantly impacted the nature and scope of SAR. We are ending our operations at the South China Sea and reassessing the deployment of our assets. As the two new corridors involved many countries, the relevant embassies have been invited to the briefing on the info by technical experts.

* MAS has been informing the families on this new development. The search for MH370 has entered a new phase over the last 7 days and we are looking into every possibility.

* For the families and friends of those involved, we hope this new info brings us one step closer to finding the plane

Plane is hijacked, says report quoting Malaysian official

A Malaysian government official said investigators have concluded that one of the pilots or someone else with flying experience hijacked the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370.

The Associated Press quoted the unnamed official who is involved in the investigation as saying that the hijacking was no longer a theory.

“It is conclusive,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that Flight MH370 may have flown beyond its last known position as the last satellite transmission from the missing airliner has been traced to the Indian Ocean off Australia, citing a person familiar with the analysis.

According to Bloomberg, a path from Malaysia to the ocean off Australia would have taken as much as 3,000 miles – the maximum distance MH370 could have flown with its fuel load.

Bloomberg also reports that investigators have found that someone in the cockpit of MH370 programmed it to turn away from its original path to Beijing, citing another person from the US government who is familiar with the investigation.

According to Bloomberg, spokesman for Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority Peter Gibson said he wasn't aware of the new information putting MH370 near Perth. However, he added that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority would have jurisdiction of the search if the information were true.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to address a press conference on this latest development at 2pm today.