SEARCH TO BE SUSPENDED
MALAYSIA, Australia and China have agreed to suspend indefinitely the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 once the 120,000 sq km search area in the southern Indian Ocean has been completely covered. However, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai says this does not mean that they have given up hope of finding the jetliner…
Less than 10,000 sq km left in the current search grid
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Families appeal to governments not to abandon search
Malaysian oceanographer agrees with theory that MH370 could have glided
Suggests search be expanded to the Broken Ridge region, slightly north of the current search area
NO EVIDENCE: Cost not the deciding factor in decision, says Liow
THE search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will be suspended indefinitely upon completion of the 120,000 sq km search area in the southern Indian Ocean.
The decision comes following the absence of credible evidence that could lead to the discovery of the missing aircraft, possibly ending all hope of solving one of aviation history’s greatest mysteries.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said Malaysia, China and Australia had agreed to put the search on hold in a tripartite ministerial meeting here yesterday.
Liow made the announcement in a packed room at the Perdana Putra complex with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Chuantang, and Australian Infrastructure and Transport Minister Darren Chester.
“The suspension does not mean we have given up looking for MH370.
“In the spirit of the tripartite effort, if there is new credible evidence, we will continue to work together to analyse any evidence and consideration will be given to the next steps (to be taken),” he said.
With less than 10,000 sq km left in which to look for the aircraft in the search grid, Liow acknowledged that despite the best efforts of all involved, the likelihood of finding the aircraft was fading.
“We also note that none of the debris (discovered so far) had helped pinpoint the exact location of the aircraft.”
Liow said bad weather and damaged equipment had also severely hampered search efforts, forcing the authorities to extend the search until October or even December.
He said cost was not the deciding factor in the decision to suspend the search.
Liow reiterated that it was predominantly due to the lack of new evidence found by the search teams, which have been combing an area roughly the size of Greece for two years.
On the flaperon found on La Reunion Island a year ago, Liow said that Malaysia had yet to get details from the French authorities
due to judicial requirements in France.
“Malaysia has filed an official application, through the Attorney-General’s Chambers, to the French government to retrieve details on the flaperon,” he said, adding that there were also issues in getting the details from certain parties, including Boeing.
On July 29 last year, a flaperon was found washed ashore in the French overseas territory of La Reunion Island.
It was later confirmed to be part of the missing Boeing 777.
Liow pointed out that the debris found in several other countries was consistent with the drift modelling analysis undertaken by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
Drift modelling had not been used earlier to define the search area as no part of MH370 was found before the flaperon.
Earlier this month, aircraft debris found off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar was handed to the authorities for analysis.
“We are confident that the search was carried out in the right area, based on data provided by experts,” said Liow.
On whether the flaperon discovery indicated a controlled ditching of the aircraft, he said there was no evidence to substantiate the claim.
It was reported that Dutch engineering company Fugro, which is leading the underwater hunt for MH370, believed that the aircraft may have glided down rather than dived in its final moments.
Liow said all data pertaining to MH370 and the search would be made available to the public after it had been compiled and computed.
Chester echoed Liow’s statement on the search area, saying the people were entitled to their own opinion.
“However, the search team relies on expert analysis and facts.”
Given that the majority of the passengers on board MH370 were Chinese nationals, Yang reaffirmed China’s commitment to the search, in the hope of providing closure to victims’ families.
“China is committed to working with Malaysia to locate the missing aircraft.”
So far, the search has cost A$180 million (RM548 million).
It is the most expensive search effort in aviation history.
MH370 disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board, while it was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.