MISSING MH370: Investigators zeroing in on final words from cockpit

MISSING MH370: Investigators zeroing in on final words from cockpit
Chief steward's daughter tweets heartfelt hopes
MISSING MH370: 'Terrain masking is possible'
MISSING MH370: 'Search in 2 corridors has begun'
Pahang sultan visits affected kin
Straight fight in Balingian

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:01 AM PDT

18 March 2014| last updated at 08:31AM

INVESTIGATORS are reviewing the final audio recordings received from the cockpit of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 to establish whether there was a security breach or evidence of the crew acting under duress.

MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said initial checks indicated the final words from the cockpit, received at 1.19am, were spoken by the flight's co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid.

Jauhari, however, declined to elaborate on whether the voice recordings were being analysed for stress.

"That is part of our investigation and we cannot comment on that," he said during the daily press conference here yesterday.

He also clarified that the plane's Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) sent its last communication at 1.07am on March 8 and that it had been turned off at some point within the next half hour.
"The ACARS system is programmed to send data every 30 minutes.

"The last message we received was at 1.07am, so it had to have been turned off at some point between 1.07am and 1.37am."

"The last message (via transponder) received from the plane's cockpit was at 1.19am."

He also revealed that given its fuel load and depending on its speed, the aircraft could have travelled for an additional 30 minutes after its final transmission was received by satellite at 8.11am on the same day.

Jauhari also said he was unaware of any reports that the plane might have flown under 5,000 feet.

"We are not aware of any such reports. We will have to check with the investigators," he said.

The New Straits Times, quoting unnamed sources, revealed yesterday that the plane had dropped below 5,000 feet, possibly in order to escape radar detection.

Jauhari said following the aircraft's disappearance, MAS had initiated "Code Tango", a heightened security code on all flights.

"We're looking at any and every security leak or shortcomings. Anyone who boards MAS flights right now will have to go through heightened security."

He also said MAS would be reviewing the psychometric and psychomotor tests imposed for all pilots joining the carrier.

"We will look into all this to see whether we can strengthen entry requirements for all MAS staff and pilots."

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said he had asked Chinese authorities to conduct a second check into the backgrounds of Chinese passengers, given the evidence that the aircraft's controls may have been compromised.

Hishammuddin was responding to a question on whether the disappearance could be linked to recent tension between Chinese authorities and ethnic Uighurs in the country's Xinjiang province.

"When we were looking into the backgrounds of the two Iranian passengers, the flight manifest had been forwarded to Chinese authorities and was cleared."

"But a few hours ago, I asked the Chinese intelligence to re-look and re-intensify their checks into the passengers' backgrounds."

The Iranian passengers Hishammuddin referred to were Pouria Nour Mohammad Mehrdad, 19, and Delavar Seyed Mohammad Reza, 29, who had used stolen passports to seek asylum in Europe.

Hishammuddin also dismissed speculation that the plane could have been remotely controlled or that the radar systems were hijacked.

"It's highly unlikely. All the information we have has been verified not only by the military, but also by the other investigative agencies involved in the investigation, such as the United States' Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board."

Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said, according to the aircraft's maintenance records, its emergency locator transmitters (ELTs) were in good working condition.

"The ELTs are always armed and would be triggered in the event of a crash or when in contact with water," he said.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein showing a map of the northern corridor, which, together with the southern corridor, has now become the focus of search-and-rescue efforts to find the missing plane.

Chief steward's daughter tweets heartfelt hopes

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:01 AM PDT

18 March 2014| last updated at 12:03AM

"DADDY, Liverpool is winning the game. Come home, so you can watch the game! You never miss watching the game. It's your very first time. :')".

This was the heartbreaking message posted on Twitter by Maira Elizabeth Nari, the daughter of MH370 chief steward Andrew Nari, on Sunday night.

It was among the poignant and heart-wrenching messages posted by family members and friends of the passengers and crew aboard MH370 on various social networking websites.

Maira, tweeting under the username "Gorgxous", had posted a series of emotional messages to her father after the Malaysia Airlines aircraft went missing.

Her tweets reflect a mixture of hope and worry.

"That feeling inside me... I just know that he'll come back, " was one of her tweets.

Family members and friends of Shi Xianwen, 26, have posted on China's local social network, QZone, to pray for him.

Shi has a son, who is only 8 months old. Shi's sister believes that her brother is still alive, saying he was a strong person and that his son was waiting for him.

One of his friends posted that he initially did not believe it when he saw Malaysia Airlines' passenger manifest.

After trying to contact Shi and failing, he began to pray for him. He said he wanted Shi to "come back in one piece".

Qzone is a social networking website that allows users to write blogs, keep diaries, send photos, listen to music and watch videos.

In Putrajaya, Muhammad Aizat Mohamad Khairul Amri is now able to smile again.

Though just a year old, Aizat seems to understand that there is hope that his father, Mohamad Khairul Amri Selamat, 29, an aviation engineer with MAS, is alive.

Khairul Amri's brother, Adib Adlisyam, said Aizat had been throwing tantrums since the plane went missing.

He said his nephew did so as he was used to sleeping with his father.

"Things are getting better now with the announcement of new possibilities on where the plane may have been flown to.

"Aizat can smile now, although he still wakes up to look for his father."

Adib Adlisyam said when news about the missing aircraft broke, tension ran high among family members as they did not know what had happened.

He said the family refrained from talking about the matter with Khairul Amri's wife, Erni Marsila Mustafa, 28.

However, he said, the tension had eased after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced on Saturday that the authorities had established that the aircraft had been deliberately flown away from its intended route and flew for several hours after disappearing from civilian radar.

"These new possibilities have given us hope that my brother is still alive.

"I hope he is safe out there. We are constantly praying for the plane and that everyone on board is safe."

MISSING MH370: 'Terrain masking is possible'

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:01 AM PDT

PILOTS are trained to safely fly aircraft in low altitudes and able to perform "terrain masking" at night if they have the data of the terrain or topography map of the area.

Several former military pilots, who turn commercial airlines pilots after retirement from service, agreed with the New Straits Times' exclusive front page report yesterday that investigators were looking at the possibility of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 dropping to an altitude of 5,000 feet during most of eight hours it was missing from the radar coverage of possibly at least three countries.

"A plane is very similar to a car. It can fly anywhere the pilot wants it to go. There is nothing to stop it as long as the pilot is daring enough," said a pilot, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"Terrain masking" is a means of avoiding active radar by positioning the aircraft so that there is natural earth hiding it from the radio waves sent by the radar system. This technique is used by military pilots to fly to their target stealthily, using the topography to mask their approach from prying radar microwaves.

This type of flying is considered very dangerous, especially in low-light conditions and spatial disorientation, and airsickness could easily set in. The stresses and loads it puts on the airframe, especially of Boeing 777-200ER's size, are tremendous.

"The pilot only needs to come up with a flight path within the limit and ability of the aircraft," said the former military transport aircraft pilot.

He said any aircraft could be flown low as long as the pilot was able to control it.

"Terrain masking is possible."

Another pilot, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said flying in low altitude at night was possible if the pilot was well-planned.

"To plan on the right altitude to take, a pilot only needs to know the highest peak, obstacles or terrains along his flight path and add another 1,500 feet to it for safety.

"In the northern peninsular, there are two peaks to be avoided -- Gunung Tahan (2,286m) and Gunung Bintang (1,828m) in Pahang.

"So, to fly around the peninsular, a pilot needs only to maintain the aircraft's altitude at 9,000 feet and you can fly safely, even at night."

As modern aircraft are equipped with the latest technology, he said, the pilot simply keyed in his target destination to create waypoints to be followed.

"Just punch in the coordinates into the flight management computers, then research for the obstacles to avoid, what altitude to fly at each waypoint, use the altimeter and a pilot can easily fly at night."

However, he said, it took skills and guts as no commercial airline pilot would attempt to fly below 5,000 feet at night without advanced planning.

"At night, there are no visuals to guide you, so you do not know what it is in front of you."

He said there were two ways to avoid detection: to hide behind an obstacle or to fly under the radar.

"So, if a plane flies low at a location far from the radar station, it will not be detected.

"The trick is to know the location of the radar, its range and the terrain. Once you have this information, any daring pilot, not just those who are military-trained, can fly without detection."

United States Aero Consulting Experts chief executive officer Captain Ross Aimer told the New Straits Times that airlines pilots were trained to fly in low altitudes, adding that Boeing 777-200ER was a stable and easy aircraft to fly, both in low or high altitudes.

The retired United Airlines captain said the pilot had to be familiar with the terrain and topography to perform the manoeuvre.

"A low-range radio altimeter and onboard group mapping radar provide additional terrain clearance awareness for such manoeuvres.

"Therefore, most average airline pilots can safely perform this type of flying with relative ease."

Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Aviation Technology principal specialist Ahmad Maulan Bardai said if the Boeing 777 went below commercial radar, the pilot would have undergone "special training".

"It is possible to perform terrain masking with the Boeing 777, but it is very challenging as the plane's configurations need to be changed accordingly to match the terrain."

United States crew members onboard a P-8A Poseidon aircraft searching for the missing MAS flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean on Sunday. AP pic

MISSING MH370: 'Search in 2 corridors has begun'

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:01 AM PDT

18 March 2014| last updated at 08:31AM

THE new phase of search-and-rescue (SAR) operations for MH370 in the northern and southern corridors has already begun, with Malaysia seeking foreign data to narrow down the expansive search grid, especially in the Indian Ocean.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Foreign Affairs Ministry had sent diplomatic notes to all countries in the two corridors, as well as those whose expertise Malaysia is seeking. He said 26 countries were now involved in the SAR operation.

For nations in the search corridors, Malaysia requested radar and satellite information, as well as specific assets for the SAR operation.

Among the countries within the two corridors are Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, China, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.

"Today (Monday), I can confirm that search-and-rescue operations in the northern and southern corridors have already begun. Countries, including Malaysia, Australia, China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan, have already initiated search-and-rescue operations," said Hishammuddin.

The first phase of the SAR mission in the South China Sea was called off after satellite service provider Immarsat detected six "pings", after MH370 went off radar. The information strongly suggested that the aircraft could be somewhere in the two corridors.

The Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy have deployed assets to the southern corridor, with search points in two regions spanning from East Sumatra to Cocos and Keeling islands.

Hishammuddin said two offshore patrol vessels -- KD Kelantan and KD Selangor -- were en route, with a Super Lynx helicopter which could operate from either ship.

He said Australia had moved a P-3 Orion aircraft to the Cocos and Christmas islands region, while a United States Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft had flown to Perth yesterday to help with the search.

"Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said his country will send an additional two P-3 Orions and a C-130 Hercules."

However, Hishammuddin reiterated that Malaysia was not at liberty to reveal information acquired from specific countries as it might be deemed sensitive.

"During the last 24 hours, the prime minister (Datuk Seri Najib Razak) has spoken to the prime minister of Australia and the premier of China.

"We are asking them to share their land, sea and aerial search-and-rescue action plans with the rescue coordination centre here in Malaysia."

The southern corridor has been divided into two sections according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) demarcations.

"These demarcations were agreed to by the ICAO -- of which Malaysia is a council member -- before MH370 went missing. Australia and Indonesia have agreed to lead search-and-rescue operations in their respective regions."

Indian Navy ship INS 'Kesari', involved in search operations for the missing airliner, arriving at the naval base in Port Blair, the capital of India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, yesterday. Reuters pic

Pahang sultan visits affected kin

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:01 AM PDT

18 March 2014| last updated at 12:02AM

He advised the family members to be patient and stay calm while the search-and-rescue mission was being conducted.

"I hope they will remain patient and always pray to Allah for their loved ones' safety. Let us pray and, hopefully, we can locate the missing plane. I feel sad that this happened. I am praying that we find it soon."

He was accompanied by his consort, Sultanah Kalsom, and sons, Tengku Muda Pahang Tengku Abdul Rahman and Tengku Fahd Mu'adzam Shah.

Present were Public Service Department director-general Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal and Putrajaya Corporation president Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat.

Sultan of Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah (left) meeting Selamat Omar, the father of Mohamad Khairul Amri Selamat, who is one of those aboard MH370, at Everly Hotel in Putrajaya yesterday. With them is Putrajaya Corporation president Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat (second from left).

Straight fight in Balingian

Posted: 17 Mar 2014 09:01 AM PDT

18 March 2014| last updated at 11:58PM

By DENNIS WONG AND GOH PEI PEI | news@nst.com.my

MUKAH: A STRAIGHT fight pitting a homegrown Barisan Nasional candidate against an outsider from PKR is on the cards for the Balingian by-election on March 29.

Former Dalat district officer Yussibnosh Balo, 48, will defend the seat for BN against Abdul Jalil Bujang, a 55-year-old businessman brought in by PKR from Bintulu.

Talk of more than two candidates vying for the seat fizzled out when returning office Shafrie Saili announced the names of the candidates after nominations closed yesterday.

Yussibnosh was the first to arrive at the nomination centre at Dewan Suarah Mesra here.

He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who is also BN deputy chairman, Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and other senior BN leaders.

Jalil was accompanied by PKR deputy president Azmin Ali and Pas central committee leader Datuk Dr Hatta Ramli, among others.

Election Commission chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the nomination process was exemplary as it went without a hitch, adding that the supporters outside the centre respected one another and observed the rules.

"I dare say, this was one of the best nomination processes ever, where everyone cooperated."

A total of 22 polling centres will be set up, including one for advance voting for 133 constituents on March 25.

There are 13,366 registered voters in the constituency, according to the latest electoral roll.

"We are expecting a 70 per cent turnout on polling day.

"We anticipate the announcement of the results at 8pm," said Aziz.

He said the EC would use indelible ink to mark those who cast their votes.

The Balingian by-election was called after the resignation of its assemblyman, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud, just before he was sworn in as Sarawak's seventh Yang Dipertua Negeri.

Taib, who was Balingian assemblyman since 2001, also retired as chief minister and Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu president.

In the 2011 state polls, Taib won after securing 5,154 votes in a three-cornered fight with Independent Datuk Salleh Jafaruddin, who garnered 1,056 votes, and PKR's Suriati Abdullah, who received 817 votes.

Barisan Nasional deputy chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (right) with (from left) Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman, Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and BN candidate for the Balingian by-election Yussibnosh Balo at the nomination centre at Dewan Suarah Mesra in Mukah yesterday. Pic by Nadim Bokhari

MISSING MH370: Investigators zeroing in on final words from cockpit

<font color=red>MISSING MH370:</font> Investigators zeroing in on final words from cockpit