#hisammuddin

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/04/19/flight-mh370-search-at-critical-juncture/

Flight MH370 search at 'critical juncture'

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19: 

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein today gave his assurance that the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will continue despite plans to regroup and reassess the operation.

The underwater search for black boxes from the missing Malaysia Flight MH370 was at a critical juncture, Hishammuddin said.

“A lot rests on what the mini-submarine scouring a stretch of the Indian Ocean finds by Sunday after which officials may consider adding on ‘private and commercial assets’ to the search efforts.

He said this at a press conference here to take stock of search operations.

“The search and rescue mission for MH370 will not stop, but we will look into new procedures, like widening the scope of the search area; the use of additional assets and higher technology to scour the ocean bed for the plane.”

The underwater search for black boxes from the missing Malaysia Flight MH370 was at a critical juncture, he said during a press conference held at the Royale Chulan Hotel here.

“A lot rests on what the mini-submarine scouring a stretch of the Indian Ocean finds by tomorrow after which officials may consider adding on ‘private and commercial assets’ to the search efforts.”

He said the search operation team under the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) set up by Australia and other partners, would, however, consider other approaches.

“This included widening the scope of the search and utilising assets that can be relevant to the hunt which enters its 43rd day today.

“Besides maintaining the deployment of the Bluefin-21 mini-submarine for the underwater search, Malaysian authorities are now looking at the possibility of adding more commercial assets in the operation.”

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot had said the search operation would be regrouped and reconsidered if there were no new updates “in the next few days”.

“Companies like Deftech, DRB, Boustead and several Malaysian companies have met and discussed with their foreign counterparts on how we can increase AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) to help the search effort,” said Hishammuddin.

He confirmed that the Bluefin-21, an AUV, had captured clear and sharp images of the seabed while conducting its underwater search missions.

“However, from all six missions conducted, nothing of interest has been found to date,” he said, adding that the mini-submarine’s seventh mission started this morning.

He also dismissed media reports indicating that it would take the AUV between six weeks to two months to scan the entire underwater search area.

“This is incorrect. The immediate search area that the Bluefin-21 is now scouring should be completed within the next week.”

The minister noted that it was now timely for the parties involved in the search operation to consider and discuss the use of submarines.

New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2014/03/21/malaysia-seeks-staging-area-in-kazakhstan-to-facilitate-search/

Malaysia seeks staging area in Kazakhstan to facilitate search

By Hamzah Nazari

SEPANG, March 21:

While some of the most advanced aircraft in the world are being sent to search the southern corridor, the Malaysian government is also asking if it can set up a staging area for the northern corridor in Kazakhstan.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said this was because the search and rescue operations for missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) aircraft MH370 were still focused on the two corridors, though the satellite image of floating objects in the southern Indian Ocean was a credible lead.

“We are still awaiting information from the Australian search and rescue operations as to whether the objects shown in the satellite images released by Australia yesterday are indeed related to MH370.

“In the meantime, we are continuing search and rescue operations in the rest of the southern and northern corridors,” said Hishammuddin today.

He added that Kazakhstan authorities found no trace of MH370, but Malaysia is awaiting permission for Kazakhstan to be used as a staging point for search operations.

“On police investigations, the Ukraine police have confirmed that the background checks on the Ukrainian passengers have come back clear,” he told reporters at the Sama-Sama Hotel in Sepang.

He did not mention any information on the Russian passenger, who to date, was the only remaining person on board the flight whose background had not been cleared.

Although he had alluded to a previous aircraft incident, the Air France AF447 tragedy, where the plane’s black box was only recovered after two years, Hishammuddin made it clear today that this might be a lengthy operation.

“This is going to be a long haul. I think we are going to have to trench down on this,” he said to reporters candidly.

On the search in the Indian Ocean, he said he would look into asking the United States Defence Secretary if refuelling aircraft could be dispatched to the Indian Ocean to allow search planes to stay in the area for a longer period of time, after this was raised by a reporter.

There are already several P-3C Orions and a P-8 Poseidon aircraft searching the area for the objects which were spotted by satellites a few days ago.

The Royal Navy vessel, HMS Success, is due to reach the area where the objects were spotted in the Indian Ocean tomorrow, while China has already deployed five ships and three ship-borne helicopters to the area. It will add three more aircraft to that.

Meanwhile, Japan is deploying assets to Perth, which include two P-3C Orions to assist with the Australian search efforts.

The last known position of the objects is 2,500km southwest of the western Australia city.

The United Kingdom is also sending the HMS Echo and will provide a list of other available assets.