MH370News:2014/Day 010
Day 010: Monday, 17 March 2014
News Summary
- 5:30 PM
- An update about the SAR efforts for MH370 pertaining operational update, ACARS and police investigations
Source: DCA (Malaysia) - Interactive Timeline
Media Statements
Monday, March 17, 05:30 PM MYT +0800 Malaysia Airlines MH370 Flight Incident - MH370 Press Briefing by Hishammuddin Hussein, Minister of Defence and Acting Minister of Transport
Introductory statement
Before answering your questions I would like to give a brief statement, starting with an operational update.
1. Diplomatic efforts
During the last 24 hours, the Prime Minister has spoken to the Prime Minister of Australia and the Premier of China. Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent diplomatic notes to all countries involved in the search and rescue operation.
This includes two groups: first, countries in the search corridors; and second, countries from which we are seeking assistance and expertise.
For countries in the search corridors, we are requesting radar and satellite information, as well as specific assets for the search and rescue operation. We are asking them to share their land, sea and aerial search and rescue action plans with the Rescue Co-ordination Centre here in Malaysia, so that we can co-ordinate the search effort. We have asked for regular updates, including daily reports on both search activities, and details of any information required from Malaysia.
We are not at liberty to reveal information from specific countries. As the co-ordinating authority we are gathering all information as part of the on-going search and rescue operation.
2. Search and rescue operations
Over the past 48 hours, Malaysia has been working on the diplomatic, technical and logistical requirements of the search for MH370. The number of countries involved in the search and rescue operation has increased to 26.
Malaysia continues to lead the overall co-ordination of the search effort. The southern corridor has been divided into two sections, according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) demarcations.
These demarcations were agreed 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 as demarcated by the ICAO.
Today, 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.
The Royal Malaysian Air Force and the Royal Malaysian Navy have deployed assets to the southern corridor. Two Malaysian ships have been deployed: the offshore patrol vessels KD Kelantan and KD Selangor. This deployment also includes a Super Lynx helicopter, which can operate from either ship.
Australia has already moved a P-3 Orion aircraft to region of the Cocos and Christmas Islands. Today, the Prime Minister of Australia confirmed that Australia will send an additional two P-3 Orions and a C-130 Hercules. A US P-8 Poseidon aircraft will be travelling to Perth today to help with the search.
3. Expert involvement
Malaysia has been working with international investigators and aviation authorities since day one.
Yesterday, experts from Civil Aviation Administration of China joined the investigations team.
Today, officials from the French Office of Investigations and Analysis for the Safety of Civil Aviation also joined the team. These authorities are working with Malaysia Airlines and the DCA to refine data that can help with the search.
4. Police investigation
On Saturday 8 March, the Royal Malaysia Police started investigations into all crew members on board MH370, including the pilot and co-pilot, as well as all ground staff handling the aircraft.
On Sunday 9 March, police officers visited the homes of the pilot and co-pilot. Officers also spoke to family members of the pilot and co-pilot.
Police visited the homes of the pilot and co-pilot again on Saturday 15 March. The pilot’s flight simulator was taken from his house with the assistance of his family. The simulator was re-assembled at police headquarters.
At this point, I would like to stress that Malaysia has been co-operating with the FBI, Interpol and other relevant international law enforcement authorities since day one.
5. Malaysia’s response
I would also like to address the speculation that Malaysia has held back information about MH370’s movements.
For the families, I understand that every day prolongs the anguish. I understand because Malaysia, too, is missing its sons and daughters. There were 50 Malaysians on board the plane.
Our priority has always been to find the aircraft. We would not withhold any information that could help. But we also have a responsibility not to release information until it has been verified by the international investigations team.
This responsibility is not only to the families and to the investigation, but also the search and rescue operation. It would be irresponsible to deploy substantial assets merely on the basis of unverified and uncorroborated information.
As soon as the possibility emerged that the plane had carried out an air turn back to the Straits of Malacca, we expanded our search to that area. I would like to reiterate the US investigating team’s statement about that decision: based on the information and data given by the Malaysian authorities, the US team was of the view that there were reasonable grounds for the Malaysian authorities to deploy resources to conduct search on the western side of peninsular Malaysia.
As soon as we verified and corroborated the new satellite information as to the possible last known whereabouts of the aircraft, we recalibrated our search efforts to the northern and southern corridors as announced by the Prime Minister. After my statement we will release a more detailed map of the northern and southern corridors.
6. Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Airlines has set up operations centres in both Kuala Lumpur and Beijing, to care for the families of the crew members and passengers.
MAS has allocated each family a caregiver, who will be on 24hours duty. They have sent more than 100 staff and caregivers to Beijing.
The airline gives daily briefings to the families. They provide counselling sessions. And they contact families that have elected not to come to Malaysia between two and three times a day.
7. Concluding remarks
Over the past two days, we have been recalibrating the search for MH370. It remains a significant diplomatic, technical and logistical challenge. Malaysia is encouraged by the progress made during such a short period of time. We are grateful for the response by the heads of government that we have spoken to, all of whom have expressed a commitment of assistance.
With support from our many international partners, this new phase of the search is underway. Assets are being deployed, and search and rescue operations have begun. I wish to thank our partners from around the world for their continued support.
新闻发布会
2014年03月17日
引言:
在回答各位的提问之前,我首先向大家介绍搜救工作的最新进展:
外交努力
在过去的24小时中,马来西亚总理与中国总理和澳大利亚首相进行了沟通。马来西亚外交部已将相关外交文件发给了参与搜查与营救的各个国家。
这些参与搜救的国家分为两组:第一,搜索走廊相关的国家;第二,<a name="OLE_LINK10"></a><a name="OLE_LINK9"></a>马来西亚寻求专业知识协助的国家。
对于搜索走廊相关的国家,我们请求雷达以及卫星信号方面的信息,同时也包括其他对搜救有利的各种资源。我们请求这些国家与马来西亚救援指挥中心分享他们获取的地面、海洋以及空中搜救行动计划,以便我们能够协调搜救工作。我们已向他们要求规范的提供更新信息,包括每日搜救报告以及马来西亚要求的任何信息详情。
我们没有权利公布某些国家提供的信息。作为此次搜救行动的总协调方,多方面信息收集是正在进行的搜救行动的一部分。
搜救措施
在过去48小时中,马来西亚在外交、技术以及后勤方面总协调MH370的搜救工作。参与搜救工作的国家增长到了26个。
马来西亚将继续是此次搜救工作的总体协调方。而根据国际民航组织的划分标准,南部走廊可被分为两个区域。
这样的区域划分在MH370飞机失联前已经得到国际民航组织的认同。马来西亚是国际民航组织委员会的一员。澳大利亚和印度尼西亚两国已经同意在国际民航组织划分的各自区域内带头进行搜救。
在这里,我可以确认我们在南北走廊的搜救工作已经展开。
马来西亚、澳大利亚、中国、印度尼西亚以及哈萨克斯坦已经开始了搜救工作。
马来西亚皇家空军以及马来西亚皇家海军已经向南部走廊部署了搜救力量,包括两艘马来西亚军舰:近海巡逻舰KD KELANTAN以及KD Selangor, 同时还包括一架超级山猫(SuperLynx)直升飞机,该飞机可以在两艘巡逻舰上进行飞行操作。
澳大利亚已经派出了一架P-3“猎户座”海上巡逻机前往科科斯群岛(Cocos Islands)以及圣诞岛(Christmas Islands)区域进行搜救。今天,澳大利亚总理表示澳方还将增派两架P-3“猎户座”海上巡逻机以及一架C-130运输机参与搜救。同时一架美国P-8“波塞冬”海上反潜巡逻机飞机也将被派往澳大利亚城市佩斯协助搜救。
专业力量参与搜救
从搜救工作开始的第一天,马来西亚便与国际调查员以及航空领域的权威专家保持着紧密的合作。
昨天,来自中国民用航空总局的专家也加入了调查小组。
今天,来自法国民航安全调查分析局的官员也加入到了搜救小组。这些权威机构与马来西亚航空公司以及马来西亚民航局共同工作,提炼并分析对搜救工作有帮助的数据。
警方调查
3月8日星期六,马来西亚皇家警察即开始了包括机长以及副机长在内的MH370机组成员的调查工作,同时还包括涉及该飞机此次飞行的所有地勤人员。
3月9日星期日,警方前往了机长以及副机长的住所,同时与他们的家人进行了沟通。
3月15星期六,警方再次前往机长与副机长的住所。机长的飞行模拟器已经在其家人的协助下带走并重新安装放在警察总局。
在这里,我想再次强调,马来西亚从搜救工作展开的第一天开始,便与美国联邦调查局、国际刑事警察组织以及其他相关国际执法当局紧密合作。
马方回应
在这里,我就马来西亚没有揭露MH370航班行动信息这一猜测做出相关回应。
对于机上乘客的亲属们,我理解每一天的等待都是你们痛苦的延长。我能够深刻的理解,是因为失联飞机上有50名乘客,也是马来西亚的子女。
我们搜救的首要任务一直都是寻找失联的飞机。我们不会隐瞒任何有助于搜救的信息。但是我们也有义务保证,在国际调查小组没有证实的情况下,不擅自发布信息。
这一义务不仅仅是保护失联乘客的亲属以及事件的调查,同时也是为了保障搜救工作的有序进行。在信息没有得到验证与核实的情况下就去部署大量的资源,是不负责任的表现。
当失联飞机有掉头飞往马六甲海峡的可能性被提出之后,我们便将搜索范围扩大到了这一区域。在这里,我想重申美国调查小组针对这一决定做出的声明:根据马来西亚当局提供的信息及数据,美国搜救小组认为马来西亚当局有合理理由部署资源前往马来半岛西侧海域进行搜索。
当我们核实了最新卫星信息,确定失联飞机可能的最终失联地点之后,我们重新部署了搜救力量前往马来西亚首相所公布南部和北部走廊。在我的讲话之后,我们将会发布一张更加详细的南部和北部走廊的地图。
马来西亚航空公司
马来西亚航空公司在吉隆坡与北京分别设立了行动中心,以照顾失联乘客以及机组人员的家属。
马来西亚航空公司为每位失联乘客家庭配备一名24小时服务的护理人员,同时马来西亚航空公司已经派遣超过100名员工及护理员前往北京。
马来西亚航空公司每日为失联者家属提供沟通会,告知家属最新的搜救情况。同时针对那些没有前往马来西亚的家属,马来西亚航空公司每天会与他们进行两到三次的电话沟通。
结语
在过去两天中,我们重新部署了MH370航班的搜救工作。此次搜救工作仍然是对外交、技术以及后勤三方面的严峻考验。能在这么短的时间取得进步,马来西亚深受鼓舞。同时,我们也十分感激与我们沟通的各国政府首脑,他们都承诺将协助搜救行动。
在许多国际合作伙伴的支持下,新的搜救阶段正在展开。我们部署了新的资源,开始了新的搜救工作。在此,我诚挚的感谢来自全世界各地的合作伙伴一如既往的支持。
Source: Ministry of Transport (Malaysia) via the Web Archive Ref-ID:MOTMY-010
Transcripts
Source: Department of Information (Jabatan Penerangan Malaysia) via MH370 Official Site