Australia ‘ready’ to help new search
THE Australian government says it is “ready to assist” in any future search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 as the families of the six Australians on-board mark a grim milestone a decade on.
The Boeing 777 disappeared about 38 minutes after leaving Kuala Lumpur airport in Malaysia bound for Beijing on March 8, 2014, with all 227 passengers and 12 crew onboard presumed dead.
The disappearance has become one of aviation’s greatest mysteries and one of its most expensive searches, involving the Australian, Chinese, and Malaysian governments and private companies.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the government was “supportive of all practical efforts to find MH370” in light of renewed interest by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in a new search.
“Ten years on from the disappearance of MH370, our sincere sympathies remain with the loved ones of the 239 passengers and crew on-board, including seven people who called Australia home,” she said.
“Australia stands ready to assist the Malaysian government if it considers that Australian agencies are able to offer technical information as a result of their involvement in previous searches.”
Under international aviation conventions, Malaysia is responsible for deciding whether to continue searching for the missing aircraft once it has been determined there are no survivors on-board.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim this week said his government would consider a new search if credible evidence was made available, stating “whatever needs to be done, must be done”.