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Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Angry relatives turn on Malaysian envoy as search comes up empty again Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Angry relatives turn on Malaysian envoy as search comes up empty again
(about 3 hours later)
Relatives of passengers of Flight MH370 angrily turned on a senior Malaysian envoy - demanding that he provide them with answers and explanations as the fifth day of efforts to trace the missing aircraft once again come up empty. Relatives of passengers of Flight MH370 have angrily turned on a senior Malaysian envoy – demanding that he provide them with answers as the fifth day of efforts to trace the missing aircraft once again came up empty.
Anywhere up to 400 relatives of Chinese passengers who had boarded the Malaysian Airlines jet, attended a meeting at Beijing’s Metropark Lido hotel with Malaysia’s ambassador. Some shouted at him and one even threw a bottle of water. “Is the envoy asleep,” one of the relatives yelled, during the tense two-hour meeting. Up to 400 relatives of Chinese passengers who had boarded the Malaysia Airlines jet attended a meeting at Beijing’s Metropark Lido hotel with Malaysia’s ambassador. Some shouted at him and one threw a bottle of water. “Is the envoy asleep?” one of the relatives yelled during the tense two-hour meeting.
The envoy, Datuk Iskandar Sarudi, told the relatives that the last words spoken with the pilots of the Boeing 777 were with air traffic controllers in Kuala Lumpur as the plane neared Vietnamese air space. “We are handing you over to the the zone under Ho Chi Minh,” said one of the controllers. “All right, good night,” replied a pilot. The envoy, Datuk Iskandar Sarudin, told the relatives that the last words spoken with the pilots of the Boeing 777 were routine communications with air-traffic controllers in Kuala Lumpur, as the plane neared Vietnamese airspace. “We are handing you over to the zone under Ho Chi Minh,” one of the controllers said. “All right, good night,” a pilot replied.
The envoy assured the relatives Malaysia was doing all it could and that he would pass on all their concerns to the authorities in Kuala Lumpur. But in truth there was very little more he could tell them; five days after the Malaysian Airlines plane disappeared with its 239 passengers and crew, officials apparently still have no idea what happened to it. The envoy assured the relatives Malaysia was doing all it could and that he would pass on all their concerns to the authorities in Kuala Lumpur. But in truth, there was very  little more he could tell them; five days after the Malaysia Airlines plane disappeared with its 239 passengers and crew, officials apparently still have no idea what happened.
The meeting between the relatives and Malaysia’s Ambassador, detailed by The Straits Times newspaper, took place hours before officials in Kuala Lumpur announced their search had been again extended and that 39 planes and 42 ships from 12 separate nations were now searching more than 27,000 nautical square miles of ocean. The meeting between the relatives and Malaysia’s ambassador – detailed by The Straits Times newspaper – took place hours before officials in Kuala Lumpur announced their search had again been extended and that 39 planes and 42 ships from 12 nations were now searching more than 27,000 nautical square miles of ocean.
As Japan and India became the latest countries to join the international effort to try and what has come a mystifying and seemingly inexplicable tragedy, officials said they were now searching in three areas – the South China Sea, the Andaman Sea and the Straits of Malacca. Grieving families of passengers on the flight know little other than the aircraft had flown routinely for two hours before losing contact (AP) Satellite images were also being used, with thousands of amateurs trying to help the search through an internet crowd-sourcing tool.
On Tuesday, it was reported military officials in Malaysia believed the plane may have veered west and flown for hundreds of miles after its last known position fixed by civilian radar. China Central Television reported that Chinese satellites had spotted an object that might be crash debris. The state broadcaster published three photographs showing an indistinct object in the water and said “verification is in progress”.
At a press conference on Wednesday, officials sought to explain the apparent confusion by revealing that the suggestion was based on examination of a secondary, military radar. As Japan and India became the latest countries to join the effort in what has become a mystifying and at times almost farcical tragedy, officials said they were now searching in three areas – the South China Sea, the Andaman Sea and the Strait of Malacca.
Analysis of recorded data showed a dot on the radar at 02.15am on Saturday, at a point around 200 miles north-west of the Malaysian island of Penang. This would be about 45 minutes after the last confirmed sighting of the plane on civilian radar and around 250 miles from its last confirmed location. On Tuesday, it was reported that military officials in Malaysia believed the plane may have veered west and flown for hundreds of miles after its last-known position fixed by civilian radar.
“We said there was a possibility of a turn-back. But we are not sure it was this aircraft. We are not sure,” said Malaysia’s air force chief, Rodzali Daud. “We did not track it in real time. We saw a recording of the data.” At a press conference, officials sought to explain the apparent confusion by revealing that the suggestion was based on examination of a secondary, military radar.
Grieving families of passengers on the flight know little other than the aircraft had flown routinely for two hours before losing contact (AP) In essence, it appears that officials know precious more now than they did on the first day the plane went missing. Two passengers who boarded the flight using stolen passports and who triggered concerns that the plane may have been downed in a terror plot, have since been shown to be young Iranians seeking to migrate to Europe. Analysis of recorded data showed a dot on the radar at 2.15am on Saturday, at a point around 200 miles north-west of the Malaysian island of Penang. This would be about 45 minutes after the last confirmed sighting of the plane on civilian radar and around 250 miles from its last confirmed location.
There have been numerous reported sighting of possible debris and oil from the plane, but all have proved to be red herrings. In the latest report, the Vietnamese authorities said they were investigating information emailed from a worker on the Songa Mercur oil rig, who contacted them to say he had spotted what he believed could have been a plane on fire, to the east of Vietnam’s Cau Ma peninsula. Chinese air force personnel on a search and rescue mission (Rex) “We said there was a possibility of a turnback. But we are not sure it was this aircraft. We are not sure,” said Malaysia’s air-force chief, Rodzali Daud. “We did not track it in real time. We saw a recording of the data.”
More than two thirds of the passengers on the flight were Chinese and China has been increasingly vocal in its criticism of Malaysia’s faltering operation, accusing it of proving too little information and of working too slowly. It appears that officials know little more now than they did on the first day the plane went missing. Two passengers who boarded the flight using stolen passports, and who triggered concerns that the plane may have been downed in a terror plot, have since been shown to be young Iranians seeking to migrate to Europe.
“There’s too much information and confusion right now. It is very hard for us to decide whether a given piece of information is accurate,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters in Beijing, according to the Associated Press. There have been numerous reported sightings of possible debris and oil from the plane, but all have proved to be mistaken. In the latest report, the Vietnamese authorities said they were investigating information emailed from a worker on the Songa Mercur oil rig who contacted them to say he had spotted what he believed could have been a plane on fire, to the east of Vietnam’s Ca Mau peninsula.
Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on what should have been a six-hour flight to Beijing early on Saturday morning and last made contact with ground control officials about 35,000 feet above the Gulf of Thailand between Malaysia and southern Vietnam before vanishing from the radar screens of controllers at 1.31am. More than two-thirds of the passengers on the flight were Chinese. China has been increasingly vocal in its criticism of Malaysia’s faltering operation, accusing it of providing too little information and of working too slowly.
Malaysian officials denied that their operation was chaotic and insisted the information they had been providing was consistent. Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, the cousin of Prime Minister Najib Razak, said as time passed it was more likely the the search and rescue operation was turning into simply a search operation. “There’s too much information and confusion right now. It is very hard for us to decide whether a given piece of  information is accurate,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said.
Vietnamese Navy's Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Le Minh Thanh speaks to reporters (Getty) Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on what should have been a six-hour flight to Beijing early on Saturday morning and last made contact with ground-control officials about 35,000 feet above the Gulf of Thailand between Malaysia and southern Vietnam before vanishing from the radar screens of controllers at 1.31am.
Today, Malaysian officials denied that their operation was chaotic and insisted their information was consistent. Transport Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein said that as time passed, it was more likely that the search-and-rescue operation was turning into simply a search.
Yet he insisted Malaysia would not stop until the plane had been located. “We will not give up. We owe it to the family members,” he said.Yet he insisted Malaysia would not stop until the plane had been located. “We will not give up. We owe it to the family members,” he said.
Vietnamese Navy's Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Le Minh Thanh speaks to reporters (Getty) Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that it was shocked by reports made against its First Officer, Fariq Ab Hamid, who was the co-pilot of the missing flight. Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that it was shocked by reports made against its First Officer Fariq Ab Hamid, who was the co-pilot of the missing flight.
A South African tourist told Australia’s Channel Nine that she and her friend were invited to sit in the cockpit with Fariq Ab Hamid and the pilot during a flight in 2011, in an apparent breach of airline rules. Malaysia Airlines said it took the reports “very seriously”. Jonti Roos, a South African tourist, told Australia’s Channel Nine that she and her friend Jaan Maree were invited to sit in the cockpit during a flight in 2011, in an apparent breach of airline rules. Malaysia Airlines said it took the reports “very seriously”.
“We regret and empathise with the families and we will do whatever we can to ease their burden,” the airline said in a statement. “We are as anxious as the families to know the status of their loved ones.” “We regret and empathise with the families and we will do whatever we can to ease their burden,” the airline said in a statement.
Malaysian officials have not ruled out any possible cause for the plane’s disappearance, including mechanical failure, pilot error, sabotage or terrorism. Both the Boeing 777 and Malaysia Airlines have excellent safety records.Malaysian officials have not ruled out any possible cause for the plane’s disappearance, including mechanical failure, pilot error, sabotage or terrorism. Both the Boeing 777 and Malaysia Airlines have excellent safety records.
The plane sent no distress signals or any indication it was experiencing any problems. Officials say until the plane is located it will be very hard to say what happened.
India’s ministry of external affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said that the Malaysian authorities had contacted their Indian counterparts seeking help in searching areas near the Andaman Sea.
A sand sculpture tribute by the artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Puri beach in India (Getty)  A sand sculpture tribute by the artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Puri beach in India (Getty)