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Missing Malaysia plane: Malaysia requests countries' help Missing Malaysia plane: Malaysia requests countries' help
(about 1 hour later)
Some 25 countries are now involved in a vast search operation for the missing airliner that disappeared over a week ago, Malaysian officials say.Some 25 countries are now involved in a vast search operation for the missing airliner that disappeared over a week ago, Malaysian officials say.
The search area - from central Asia to the southern Indian Ocean - takes in vast tracts of land and sea.The search area - from central Asia to the southern Indian Ocean - takes in vast tracts of land and sea.
An already complex search operation has become even more difficult, Malaysia's transport minister says.An already complex search operation has become even more difficult, Malaysia's transport minister says.
Crew, passengers and ground staff are being investigated after it was confirmed the jet was commandeered.Crew, passengers and ground staff are being investigated after it was confirmed the jet was commandeered.
Investigators are trying to obtain the radar data from any of the countries that Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 may have passed over, with its 239 crew and passengers. Investigators are trying to obtain more radar and satellite data from any of the countries that Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 may have passed over, with its 239 crew and passengers.
The leaders of several Asian countries have been briefed by the Malaysia government in what Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has described as a new phase of the search.
"The information revealed yesterday [Saturday] covers a huge ground and it is our hope and that with that new information parties that can be of assistance to us can come forward and help us narrow the search to an area that is much more feasible, and that is what we have been doing since last night," he said at a news conference.
Malaysian officials are contacting countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and France.Malaysian officials are contacting countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and France.
They are also asking countries to provide assistance in the search for the plane, including satellite data and analysis, ground-search capabilities, and maritime and air assets.They are also asking countries to provide assistance in the search for the plane, including satellite data and analysis, ground-search capabilities, and maritime and air assets.
The police are also reportedly looking at the family life and psychological state of the plane's pilot, Zaharie Shah, and co-pilot, and searched their homes on Saturday. National police chief Gen Khalid Abu Bakar said background checks had been requested on all passengers aboard the plane, but that so far nothing suspicious had been reported - though some intelligence agencies still had to respond.
Officers spoke to relatives of the pilot and experts are examining the pilot's flight simulator. The police are also reportedly looking at the family life and psychological state of the plane's pilot, Zaharie Shah, and co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, and searched their homes on Saturday.
Those who know Mr Zaharie insist he is a normal family man, reports the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Kuala Lumpur. The two men had not asked to fly together, Mr Hishammuddin confirmed at the news conference.
Fifty-three years old - with 18,000 hours of flying experience - he is a self-confessed "aviation geek" and proudly posted pictures online of the flight simulator he built at home. Officers spoke to relatives of the pilot and experts are examining the pilot's personal flight simulator.
As well as the crew and passengers, police are investigating the engineers who may have had contact with the aircraft before take-off. Those who know Mr Zaharie, 53, insist he is a normal family man, reports the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Kuala Lumpur.
'Two corridors' With 18,000 hours of flying experience, he is a self-confessed "aviation geek" and proudly posted pictures online of the flight simulator he built at home.
According to satellite evidence, the Boeing 777 could have continued flying for a further seven hours after its last radar contact, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Saturday. As well as the crew and passengers, police are investigating the engineers and other ground staff who may have had contact with the aircraft before take-off.
He added the plane could be anywhere from Kazakhstan to the Indian Ocean. The two corridors are being treated with equal importance in the search efforts. It has also emerged that a team from British telecommunications company Inmarsat team arrived on Saturday in Malaysia.
An Inmarsat satellite is said have continued receiving signals from flight MH370 at least five hours after the plane was reported lost.
A team of French investigators is to travel to Malaysia on Monday to help with the search, the French transport ministry has said in a statement. They will join members of the US National Transportation Safety Board already in Malaysia.
Communications sabotaged
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced on Saturday that the plane's communication systems had been deliberately cut before it was diverted from its route.
According to satellite evidence, the Boeing 777 could have continued flying for a further seven hours after its last radar contact, he said.
The flight left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing at 00:40 local time (16:40 GMT) on 8 March and disappeared off air traffic controllers' screens at about 01:20.The flight left Kuala Lumpur for Beijing at 00:40 local time (16:40 GMT) on 8 March and disappeared off air traffic controllers' screens at about 01:20.
One of the aircraft's communications systems - the Aircraft and Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) - was disabled just before it had reached the east coast of Malaysia, Mr Razak said. An extensive search - involving 43 ships and 58 aircraft - since the plane disappeared has proved fruitless.
ACARS is a service that allows computers aboard the plane to "talk" to computers on the ground, relaying in-flight information about the health of its systems.
Shortly afterwards, near the crossover point between Malaysian and Vietnamese air traffic controllers, the plane's transponder - which emits an identifying signal - was switched off, he said.
According to a military radar, the aircraft then turned and flew back over Malaysia before heading in a north-west direction.
A satellite was able to pick up a signal from the plane until 08:11 local time - more than seven hours after it lost radar contact - although it was unable to give a precise location, Mr Razak said.
He went on to say that based on this new data, investigators "have determined the plane's last communication with a satellite was in one of two possible corridors":
Along with the Chinese passengers, there were 38 Malaysians and citizens of Iran, the US, Canada, Indonesia, Australia, India, France, New Zealand, Ukraine, Russia, Taiwan and the Netherlands on board.
An extensive search - involving 14 countries, 43 ships and 58 aircraft - since the plane disappeared has proved fruitless.