MH 370- Delay in using satellite data because it needed to be analysed, says Hishammuddin Data from the Inmarsat satellite has to be processed before it could be used in the search and rescue efforts for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370, said Malaysia, in explaining the delay in following up on information. Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the investigation team had received the complete raw Inmarsat satellite data, which also included six handshakes at 3pm on March 12. This type of data is not normally used in investigations of this sort. It is only because we have so little other information to go on in this difficult and unprecedented situation that the data is being used, he said. Malaysian authorities have been criticised for not reacting quick enough on information that the missing Boeing 777 had kept on flying for hours after it went off the radar on March 8. Hishammuddin said the Malaysian authorities had immediately discussed with the team from the US on how this information might be used. The US team and the investigation team then sent the data to the US for further processing. Initial results were received on March 13, at approximately 1.30pm, but it was agreed by the investigation team that further refinement was needed, so the data was again sent back to the US, Hishammuddin revealed. He added that the second set of results was only received at 2.30pm on Friday, March 14, and the information was passed on to the investigation team at a high-level meeting at 9pm the same day. The UK AAIB (Air Accidents Investigation Branch), who had also been processing this data independently, presented their results – which concurred with ours and those of the US team – at that meeting, said Hishammuddin. The prime minister was briefed on this satellite information at 8am on Saturday, March 15. He publicly announced it at the press conference at Saturday lunchtime. Search and rescue operations were immediately shifted to the northern and southern corridors. Last Saturday, Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced that MH370, with 239 people on board, had diverted off its scheduled course from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Hishammuddin also said that Malaysia would be seeking equipment and machinery which only a few countries would have in order to recover the black box of the missing aircraft. “Very few countries have that capability and I have been talking to the leaders of those countries for possibly using or giving us the chance or opportunity to use it, he said, referring to the Pinger Locater Hydrophones, which can detect signals up to six kilometres under water. He also revealed that Kazakhstan had yet to deny or confirm if MH370 had crossed its airspace after it went off the radar. They said they have no leads or confirmation that the aircraft crossed their airspace and we are waiting for an official reply from them, Hishammuddin added. – March 21, 2014.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 14:41:54 +0000