Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/11Apr2014

#MH370 Malaysia Airlines : Headlines Updated For MH370

Time to be accountable for our actions, says family of MH370 passenger The Malaysian Insider

• Officials say search area not reduced, denying Australian PM’s statement … The Malaysian Insider
• Selangor approves studies on plan for elevated highway, KIDEX The Malay Mail Online
• DAP: Hishammuddin must lay CIA conspiracy theory on MH370 to rest The Malay Mail Online
• Elizabeth Wong withdraws from PKR veep race The Malaysian Insider

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1900/09Apr2014

#MH370 Malaysia Airlines : Headlines Updated For MH370

1. I just want to find out the truth. I want to know what happened to MH370," says Hishammuddin: Click here
2. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Signals Confirmed. Click here
3. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370: More 'pings' from recorders heard (+video) Click here
4. Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Saga Not Likely to Hurt Malaysia-China Economic Ties Click here
5. Malaysia Airlines MH370: Underwater search for missing plane delayed until another signal received Click here
6. Malaysia Airlines MH370: Underwater search for missing plane delayed until another signal received Click here
7. Malaysia Airlines MH370: Search crews confident missing plane's locator beacon still running Click here

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 2200/03Apr2014

MH370 Live Report: Australia PM: 'Search is the most difficult in human history'

DAY 27 (3 April 2014)

[12:06pm]: Malaysian PM Najib Razak and Australian PM Tony Abbott held a press conference in Australia this afternoon. Below are the highlights:

- Abbott says the search is the most difficult in human history, taking place in an extraordinarily remote area considering sea conditions.
- Search team is working on the basis of just small pieces of information and putting the jigsaw pieces together.
- Abbott also asks families of MH370 passengers to be patient, and adds "We can’t be certain of the success, but we are certain that we will expand the search in whatever we can humanly do".
- Najib met with crew and commanders of the search effort and they shared the difficulties of distance, weather and sea conditions.
- 10 aircraft and 9 ships are out searching at this very moment.
- Malaysia and Australia is in the process of drawing up a comprehensive agreement on the search. 

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak (L) and Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott 

Full address by Najib here.

[9.40am]: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been told Australia is doing everything it can to hunt flight MH370, but the task is one of the 'most complicated' searches in history. Story here.

Source: Yahoo news

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 2200/30March2014

MH370 Live Report: US naval officer says search for MH370 could take years

DAY 23 (30 March 2014)

Experts say that the cost of hunting MH370 may hit RM130 million, and even RM650 million annually if the search stretches on for years. Full details HERE.
Just hours after arriving, some 50 relatives of MH370's Chinese passengers held a protest at Subang Jaya Holiday Villa. Full story HERE.

American forensic investigators confirm that nothing incriminating was found in Capt. Zaharie's flight simulators. Full story HERE.

Security protocols will be revamped at nation's entry points and a new system implemented, says Zahid. Read the full story HERE.

The South China Morning Post reports that a 'frustrated' China is considering launching 50 satellites to form a global surveillance network, following the disappearance of MH370. Full story HERE.

Australia has appointed its ex-defence forces chief to lead in the search for MH370. Full story HERE.

With Hishamuddin being front man in the world's media coverage of MH370, he has now suddenly become a household name worldwide. How is this boosting his political career? Find out HERE.

A US naval officer says the search for MH370 could take years. Details HERE.

MAS needs confirmation that MH370 has indeed crashed in the Indian Ocean before flying the passengers' families to Perth. Story HERE.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1900/29March2014

MH370 Live Report: Search and rescue to go on despite odds

DAY 22

[4.09pm] Acting Transport Minister Hishamuddin Hussein has assured families of passengers on board the missing plane that Putrajaya will not stop its search and rescue operations to find survivors, no matter the odds. Full story here.

Meanwhile, Hishamuddin also revealed that no debris spotted in an area off the west coast of Australia has been recovered. Read more here.
[10.13am]: The Interpol has hit back at the Malaysian government, saying that Malaysia's decision to not consult the database before allowing travellers to enter the country "cannot be defended by falsely blaming technology or Interpol". More on this here.

[9.42am]: Fresh objects of "multiple colours" were spotted by planes searching for the missing Malaysian passenger jet in a new area of the southern Indian Ocean, once again raising hopes of unravelling the three-week old mystery. Click here for more on this.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/27March2014

MH370 Live Report: Malaysian team soon to leave for Perth

DAY 20:
[6.06pm]: No press conference was held today. Here are highlights from a press statement issued by the Transport Ministry:

- Malaysia will send a team comprising representatives from the DCA, MAS, the navy and air force to Perth to work with the Australian Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

- PM Najib Razak met with China's foreign affairs vice minister Zhang Yesui. Minister Hishammuddin Hussein briefed him of the findings that led to the conclusion that the plane ended in the southern Indian ocean. Zhang later met with the relatives of Chinese passengers on board MH370.

- High level Malaysian team met with families in Beijing for the fourth time yesterday. Relatives were told of search operation and technical details. Another meeting is currently underway. Malaysia has requested the Chinese government to 'engage and clarify the actual situation to the affected families and the Chinese public'.

Full statement here.

[4.19pm]: AFP reports that a Thai satellite has spotted 300 floating objects with each up to 15 metres in size. Thailand's The Nation reports that the objects were seen about 200km away from the search area in the Indian Ocean. Details.

[1.23pm]: The search for MH370 takes another hit as severe icing, turbulence and near zero visibility force authorities to call off the search today. Read in full.

[11:35am]: Thunderstorms and gale winds are threatening to disrupt the search for the 122 objects spotted in the southern Indian Ocean, as military and civillian planes rush to search the 78,000 square kilometer area. Story here.

Oceanographers are playing a key role with their understanding of ocean dynamics in determining where exactly did Malaysia Airlines MH370 crash in the southern Indian Ocean. Story here.

Also, math wizards - the same people who found Air France Flight 447 - are standing ready to help in the search for MH370, working independently using all available public data. Story here.

[8.40am]: Aircraft and ships scouring the southern Indian Ocean for wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 were racing to beat bad weather today and reach an area where new satellite images showed what could be a debris field. The latest satellite leads by  France-based Airbus Defence & Space showed 122 objects - between one and 23 metres in length - that could possibly be debris from the Boeing 777. Read more.

- The United States has dispatched its Pinger Locator - the undersea navy drone and  high-tech black box detector to boost search efforts. When it arrives, on April 5, the heavy duty machine will be fitted to an Australian Defence vessel, says Reuters. Story here.

- Elsewhere in the Malaysian Parliament, Home Minister Zahid Hamid made listed the chronological account of how two Iranian men ended up on the flight MH370 using stolen passports. The revelation was the first ever made since MH370 news broke on March 8. Find out what happened here.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/25March2014

MH370 Live Report: Search operations in Northern Corridor called off

DAY 18:

[6:20pm]: Highlights from this evening’s press conference:

- Search operations in northern corridor and area near Indonesia called off. Current search area is 469,407 sq nautical miles from the initial 2.24 million sq nautical miles.
- MAS will take the lead in communicating with families.
-The aircraft wreckage, if found, may be brought to Australian soil for further investigation.
- Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said new analysis was convincing enough for the UK’s AAIB to brief PM Najib Razak that the plane’s last position was in the southern Indian ocean. The message was then conveyed to the families and announced to the public.
- IGP says investigation will continue on the four areas: sabotage, hijacking and psychological and personal problems.
- The US Navy’s Towed Pinger Locator - which can detect the aircraft’s black box - is en route to Perth.
- High level team from Malaysia will leave to Beijing today. Lack of details yesterday caused speculations that Malaysia was not revealing information. Team to address all questions from family members.
- Malaysian air force is conducting its own inquiry into the incident and Transport Ministry is looking at members to form its own inquiry board.
Read the full statement.

[4pm]: Angry relatives of Chinese passengers scuffled with security personnel outside the Malaysian embassy in Beijing, demanding answers. Full story.

[1.15pm]: Highlights from the press conference by Malaysia Airlines:
- Motivation last night was to deliver the ‘tragic news’ to the families before the world heard it. Message was conveyed to the families ‘wherever humanly possible’ and SMS was used as a last resort. Airline wanted to make sure the news came from them and not the media. Full story.
- MAS chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya says Australian authorities would give visas to families who wish to go to Australia only when ‘evidence has been established’. MAS will then make arrangements to fly them to the site. Read. 
- MAS will continue to support nearly 1000 family members and have trained an additional 40 caregivers to attend to their needs.
- Additional payment will be made to families on top of the US$5,000 that was given in initial financial assistance.
- MAS chairman Md Nor Yusof denied claims that it had ‘isolated’ family members, saying they were given places that would allow them comfort, privacy and access to caregivers. “We do not know why, we do not know how this terrible tragedy happened but as the MAS family, we are all praying for the passengers and crew of MH370.”
- On whether MAS had sent high ranking representatives to meet with families, Md Nor said: “That has been done all the time. We just do not display our names when we go”.
- To a question on whether MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya would resign, he replied: "It is a personal decision." Read.

Full statement here.

[12pm]: Prime Minister Najib Razak addressed the Parliament called on members of the government and the Opposition not to politicise the issue of the missing plane.
" This is the time to show our solidarity with the families of those onboard. I plead to the government and the Opposition that in a crisis like this we have to show our sympathy to all parties involved. We have to show our maturity, love for the country and sensitivity to the families who are going through a difficult time. The government will do everything that we have to do with a full sense of duty."

- The announcement was made last night to dispel the perception that Malaysia was withholding information.

- Suggestions to mourn the loss of the crew and passengers include flying the national flag at half-mast, but Najib said it should be done only after wreckage is found.

- Australian PM Tony Abbot informed Najib this morning that cooperation from Australia will continue until traces of the aircraft is found. Although the conditions in the southern Indian ocean are challenging, Malaysia will continue search operations as a commitment to the families of all those onboard MH370.
[10.45am]: Bad weather and rough seas forced the suspension of the search for any wreckage of a missing Malaysian jetliner. Full story.

[8.29am]: The  United States is sending an undersea Navy drone capable of exploring waters nearly 15,000 feet deep to potentially help search for any sunken wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the Pentagon said. Story here.
Strong gale force winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour halts air and sea search for MH370, Australia Maritime Safety Authority said. Search operations will resume tomorrow. Full story here.

The why and how about MH370 ended up in the remote rough seas will only be known once investigators get to 'fish' the black box of the Malaysian jet that is registered as 9M-MRO. Read what the experts say here.

Source: yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 PM confirms MH370 ended in Southern Indian Ocean

MH370 Live Report: Too soon to launch undersea search for MH370

DAY 17:

[11:36pm]: French investigators today said it was too soon to consider launching undersea searches for the remains of MH370. Full story here.

Malaysia Airlines vowed that the ongoing search for the plane and an intensive investigation into its fate "will continue, as we seek answers to the questions which remain". Full story here.

[11:27pm]: "God loves you more daddy....God loves them more."

The daughter of MH370 Chief Steward Andrew Nari tweeted the above, as the Prime Minister announced the sad news minutes ago. Full story here.

[11:03pm]: Relatives of the passengers on MH370 have been called to an emergency meeting with the company and charter flights are being arranged for Australia, Sky News reported. Full story here.

[10:03pm]: The Prime Minister, Najib Razak has confirmed that MAS flight MH370 ended in the Southern Indian Ocean, according to new data from INMARSAT and AAIB.
- Based on new analysis, INMARSAT and AAIB also concluded that MH370 flew along the Southern Corridor. The last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.
- No further details were furnished during the press conference, and another press conference will be called tomorrow with further details.

Full statement here.

Malaysia Airlines has also released a statement:

On behalf of all of us at Malaysia Airlines and all Malaysians, our prayers go out to all the loved ones of the 226 passengers and of our 13 friends and colleagues at this enormously painful time.

Full statement here.

This is the text alert Malaysia Airlines sent to the families of the MH370 passengers before PM Najib's official announcement today:

What we know as of Day 17, Monday, 24 March 2014:

Search operations:

1. PM Najib Razak announced that INMARSAT and AAIB confirms that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
Two objects - one circular and another rectangular- were seen by Australian counterparts.
Chinese aircrew have spotted "suspicious objects" in the southern Indian Ocean.
The US Navy is sending a black box locator to the search area in the southern Indian Ocean.
2. Pallet and belts were spotted in the Indian Ocean.
3. Chinese satellites have spotted objects floating in the southern search area.
4. Two objects possibly related to MH370 have been spotted on Australian satellite imagery. Largest object sighted is 24 metres.

On-going investigations:

1. Transcripts of the communication between MH370 and air control is “ not accurate”.
2. Communications satellites picked up faint electronic pulses ("pings") from MH370 for hours after it went missing.
3. Police are investigating the matter from four angles: hijacking, sabotage, psychological problems, and personal problems among passengers and crew.
4. The PM said that the plane movement was consistent with "deliberate action" by someone on the plane.

5. Flight simulator:
- Data log was deleted from the pilot’s flight simulator on Feb 3, forensic work is being done to retrieve data.
- A flight simulator was taken from the home of MH370's pilot and is being examined by the police.

6. Pilots:
Police have questioned more than 100 people including families of both pilot and co-pilot.
- No red flags in pilot and co-pilot backgrounds
- Last words from cockpit - ‘Alright, good night’ believed to be said by the co-pilot at 1.19am.
- MAS: The pilot and co-pilot did not ask to fly together, ands flew as assigned by the roster.
- The flight was piloted by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, with total flying hours of 18,365 hours.
- First officer, Fariq Ab.Hamid, 27, has a total flying hours of 2,763 hours.

7. Plane:
- No additional waypoint on MH370’s flight plan. Normal route to Beijing.
- Plane was carrying three to four tonnes of mangosteen and 200kg of Li-Ion batteries, packaged according to guidelines.
- The B777-200 aircraft that operated MH207 had undergone maintenance 12 days before the flight. There were no issues.
- The aircraft was carrying 7.5 hours of fuel at the time of its disappearance (2.40am, March 8).

About the passengers:

1. Malaysia Airlines has retired the missing jetliner's flight code as a sign of respect to the 239 passengers and crew.
5. MH370 Full passenger list here .

Editors's note: The public may contact +603 7884 1234. Next-of-kin may head to the Support Facility Building at KLIA's South Support Zone. For directions, call 03 8787 1269.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/24March2014

#PrayForMH370 Live Updates: Two objects spotted, retrieval within hours

DAY 17 

[6:05pm]: Highlights from today’s press conference from PWTC:

- Two orange-coloured objects seen in southern corridor but no confirmation on its link to MH370. Yesterday, 18,500 sq nautical miles searched.
- MAS CEO: Plane carried 200kgs of lithium-ion batteries that were packaged according to international guidelines and fruits. Cargo manifest is with investigation team. Australia has to request cargo list from the investigation team.
- Minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirmed that the plane was carrying wooden pallets, but no verification that the wooden pallet found was indeed from MH370.
- Police have questioned more than 100 people including families of both pilot and co-pilot.
- On diversion of another MAS flight to Incheon, MAS CEO says it was a ‘a technical problem with the generator’. “It’s not a safety issue, but a technical one that the aircraft had”.
- Hisham: Not discounting human element in the disappearance of the plane.
- MAS says co-pilot moved from a lower fleet to a B777. He passed the first five flights and was flying on MH370 with the pilot - a B777 examiner- on his sixth flight.

[5:11pm]: A U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon, the most advanced search aircraft in the world, had been unable to find objects spotted earlier on Monday by a Chinese aircraft. Full story here.

[4.11pm]: China's Foreign Ministry said it could not confirm that objects spotted by a its military aircraft earlier today were connected to the missing jetliner. Read.

[1.10pm]: Chinese aircrew have spotted "suspicious objects" in the southern Indian Ocean in the search for the vanished Malaysia Airlines plane the official Xinhua news agency said. Read in full.

[12.34pm]: The US Navy is sending a black box locator to the search area in the southern Indian Ocean, in a move they call a 'precautionary measure' in case the field of debris is confirmed. Full story here.

[12:13pm]: Malaysia Airlines confirms that a separate flight -  MH066 from Kuala Lumpur to Incheon on Sunday (March 23) - was diverted to Hong Kong due to an inoperative aircraft generator which supplies normal electrical power. However electrical power continued to be supplied by the Auxiliary Power Unit. The aircraft was then diverted to Hong Kong for rectification and landed uneventfully. Details. 

Read the full statement.

[8.50am]: Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said in an interview with ABC Radio that the new lead in the widened hunt for MH370 was promising, but cautioned that the search in the remote icy southern Indian Ocean remained difficult.  Story here.

Search teams scouring the remote Southern India Ocean for MH370 have been hampered by low visibility as cloud and fog descended over parts of the area, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported. An Australian Air Force Lieutenant told the Australian daily that heavy cloud reduced his crew's ability, which he said was 'completely' engulfed in cloud at times, even at its lowest altitude.More here.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/23March2014

MH370 PRESS STATEMENT BY MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, MALAYSIA (23 MARCH 2014)

1. Search and rescue operational update

a. The search and rescue operation remains an international effort, co-ordinated by Malaysia. A number of countries are leading in their respective search areas and all countries involved are displaying unprecedented levels of co-operation.

b. This morning, Malaysia received new satellite images from the French authorities showing potential objects in the vicinity of the southern corridor. Malaysia immediately relayed these images to the Australian rescue co-ordination centre.

c. Two Chinese Ilyushin IL-76s have arrived in Perth, and will depart for the search and rescue operation tomorrow at 05:00 and 06:00.

d. Two Japanese P3 Orions today left Subang airport for Perth.

e. The Australian rescue co-ordination centre will deploy eight aircraft (four military and four civilian) to the southern corridor today, to conduct visual searching.


f. The Australian Defence Vessel ‘Ocean Shield’, which has a sub-sea remotely operated vehicle, is currently en route to the southern corridor.

g. As of 2:30pm Malaysia time, Australian officials have informed us that they have not made any new sightings regarding MH370.

h. One Indian Navy P8 Poseidon and one Indian Air Force C130 left Subang airport today to join the search and rescue operation in the northern part of the southern corridor, which is being led by Indonesia.

i. A number of other sorties from Subang airport to the southern corridor were cancelled today due to bad weather caused by tropical cyclone Gillian.


j. Australia, China and France have now released satellite images that show potential objects, which may be related to MH370, in the vicinity of the southern corridor. All this information has been forwarded to Australia, as the lead country in the area of concern.

2. Family briefing

a. The Malaysian high level team started a briefing in Beijing this morning for relatives of those on board MH370. The meeting lasted more than 6 hours. This is the third such meeting that has been held. The team presented information to the relatives and answered questions. The Government wishes to reiterate its commitment and continued engagement with the relatives of those on board MH370.
3. Update on ACARS transmission

a. The last ACARS transmission, sent at 1.07am, showed nothing unusual. The 1.07am transmission showed a normal routing all the way to Beijing.

Source: Yahoo News

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Awi Rafael & Fazli Zainal Dedikasi Lagu Untuk MH370

Pelbagai cara dilakukan oleh masyarakat untuk berkongsi kesedihan dengan kehilangan pesawat MH370. Golongan artis juga tidak terkecuali menyumbangkan bakat yang dimiliki untuk berkongsi harapan dan doa agar insiden ini berakhir dengan noktah gembira.

Terbaru, penyanyi Awi Rafael telah melancarkan lagu berjudul 'Jangan Takut' yang didedikasikan untuk keluarga dan semua individu yang terlibat dalam tragedi ini. Setiap bait lirik lagu ini menyampaikan satu harapan agar pesawat ini dapat dijumpai dalam keadaan selamat.

Harapan sama turut dikongsi oleh penyanyi Fazli Zainal yang merakamkan semula lagu nyanyian Maher Zain 'InsyaAllah' dengan versi akustik.

Semoga dengan sokongan dan doa daripada semua, MH370 dapat kembali dalam keadaan selamat.

Sumber: Mediahiburan

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/22March2014

#PrayForMH370 Live Updates: Malaysia looking into possibility of deep ocean salvage

UPDATE Day 15 [6.24pm]: Highlights from today’s press conference:

- Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to speak to US Secretary of Defence tonight to request use of remotely-operated vehicles for possibility of deep ocean salvage.
- No information yet from Australians on the object spotted in Indian Ocean. Search and rescue to continue in southern and northern corridor and will be ‘long-haul’. Hishammuddin Hussein says the ‘most sophisticated’ planes are being deployed.
- Information on the pilot’s simulator has been sent to international authorities to verify.
- China, Japan and UK have deployed assets. UK has offered specialist search and investigative help to be given once more information comes in.
- Kazakhstan has not seen any sign of MH370. Malaysia is waiting for permission for Kazakhstan to be used as a ‘staging point’ for search operations.
- Background checks on Ukrainian passengers clear. International intelligence confirms there is nothing unusual in passenger manifest.
- MAS says small batteries were on cargo, but packaged and stored according to international aviation guidelines. Batteries not listed as  ‘dangerous goods’ by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
- Last night’s briefing in KL to update family members was well attended by all relatives. Constructive and frank discussion, but not all questions were answered.
- Families in Beijing met with high-level Malaysian government team for three hours.

Full statement here.

UPDATE [5.30pm]: Australian radars have failed to pick up any sign of the missing plane and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (ASMA) is now replanning a 'visual search' with skilled observers. Full story.

UPDATE [1.23pm]: Three Chinese warships and an icebreaker wil join the search for possible pieces of the missing plane in the southern Indian Ocean. Full report.
UPDATE [11.41am]: Australia resumes search for possible wreckage from the missing Malaysian jetliner in a remote, storm-swept stretch of the Indian Ocean. Story here.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/21March2014

#PrayForMH370 Live Updates: Malaysia looking into possibility of deep ocean salvage

UPDATE [6.24pm]: Highlights from today’s press conference:

- Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein to speak to US Secretary of Defence tonight to request use of remotely-operated vehicles for possibility of deep ocean salvage.
- No information yet from Australians on the object spotted in Indian Ocean. Search and rescue to continue in southern and northern corridor and will be ‘long-haul’. Hishammuddin Hussein says the ‘most sophisticated’ planes are being deployed.
- Information on the pilot’s simulator has been sent to international authorities to verify.
- China, Japan and UK have deployed assets. UK has offered specialist search and investigative help to be given once more information comes in.
- Kazakhstan has not seen any sign of MH370. Malaysia is waiting for permission for Kazakhstan to be used as a ‘staging point’ for search operations.
- Background checks on Ukrainian passengers clear. International intelligence confirms there is nothing unusual in passenger manifest.
- MAS says small batteries were on cargo, but packaged and stored according to international aviation guidelines. Batteries not listed as  ‘dangerous goods’ by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
- Last night’s briefing in KL to update family members was well attended by all relatives. Constructive and frank discussion, but not all questions were answered.
- Families in Beijing met with high-level Malaysian government team for three hours.

Full statement here.

UPDATE [5.30pm]: Australian radars have failed to pick up any sign of the missing plane and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (ASMA) is now replanning a 'visual search' with skilled observers. Full story.

UPDATE [1.23pm]: Three Chinese warships and an icebreaker wil join the search for possible pieces of the missing plane in the southern Indian Ocean. Full report.
UPDATE [11.41am]: Australia resumes search for possible wreckage from the missing Malaysian jetliner in a remote, storm-swept stretch of the Indian Ocean. Story here.
- The Wall Street Journal reported that finding flight MH370 could take months even if the debris shown in satellite images in the southern Indian Ocean is part of the missing plane.  Full story here.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/20March2014

#PrayForMH370 Live Updates: Planes haven't found debris, rain & clouds limiting visibility

UPDATE [6.04pm]: The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has not found any debris yet, due to rain and clouds limiting visibility in the search area. Read in full.

Salient points from the 5.30pm press conference, headed by acting Transport Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein:

- The sightings of the two objects possibly related to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean, while credible, is not confirmed, said acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
- Malaysia will look into sonar technology and submarines if search time exceeds 30 days. Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says Malaysian submarines do not have that technology and help will be sought from limited few who have.
- Hishammuddin insists that there have been no reluctance from Australian authorities in helping search operations. Operations will continue overnight to verify objects spotted in Indian Ocean.
- On whether it could take years to conclude, Hishammuddin said that if the debris is confirmed to be that of MH370, then comparisons will be made to Air France crash - which took two years - because conditions of Indian Ocean similar to that of the Atlantic Ocean.
- MAS chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya regrets the handling of family members yesterday. Says Chinese families have been given updates two to three times a day, the same update given to the press. High level team leaving to Beijing this evening.
- Representatives from Malaysian government spoke to families in KL yesterday. Chinese ambassador will lead a briefing today for Chinese families in KL. Similar briefing for other families.

Full statement here.

UPDATE [4.44pm]: Commander William Marks, spokesman for the US Navy's 7th Fleet, was quoted as saying that the radar hits of “significant size” - indicating something below the search area in the southern Indian Ocean - were not connected to missing flight MH370. Read in full.

The New Straits Times meanwhile, reported that the Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft has reached the search scene.

UPDATE [2.42pm]: PM Najib Razak meets Malaysian Chief of Defence Force after call with Australian PM.

UPDATE [1.13pm]: Largest object sighted is 24 metres, with a second, smaller object also spotted, Australian authorities said. Details. 
John Young, general manager of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said debris has been spotted on satellite imagery 2260km off the coast of Western Australia. Watch the video.

Meanwhile, minister Hishammuddin Hussein confirms 'new lead' and is meeting with Australian delegation to verify. Full story.

UPDATE [11.33am]: Two objects possibly related to MH370 have been spotted on Australian satellite imagery and an air force aircraft was diverted to the area, according to the Australian prime minister. Full story here.

UPDATE [9.40am]:  Data from the multiple "handshakes" between the Inmarsat satellite and  flight MH370 could help plot the aircraft's last known location before it disappeared, The Washington Post reported. Full story here.

- The disappearance of a Malaysian plane has prompted calls for in-flight streaming of black box data over remote areas.  Full story here.

Source: Yahoo News

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Breaking News: #MH370 Malaysia Airlines missing flight : Updated: 1930/19March2014

#PrayForMH370 Live Updates: Flight simulator logs were cleared on 3rd Feb

UPDATE [5.53pm]: Highlights from today’s press conference:
- Data log deleted from the pilot’s flight simulator on Feb 3, forensic work is being done to retrieve data. All remain innocent until proven guilty.
- All 26 countries have verbally agreed to assist operation. Malaysia has written to all formally.
- Confirmed received radar data from other countries but cannot reveal as it is ‘sensitive’.
- In Maldives sightings, Malaysia’s Chief of Defence Forces has contacted counterpart in Maldives. Sightings confirmed untrue.
- No additional waypoint on MH370’s flight plan. Normal route to Beijing.
- All passengers, crew and ground staff being investigated.
- High-level team to go to Beijing to brief family on search and rescue. Team includes representatives from PM’s Office, Foreign Affairs Ministry, DCA and MAS. 

Full statement here.

UPDATE [4.05pm]: Thai radar picked up an "unknown aircraft" minutes after flight MH370 last transmitted its location but officials failed to report the findings earlier as the plane was not considered a threat. Full story here.

Why didn't the passengers of MH370 try to use their cellphones to contact someone on the ground? Telecommunications experts share their knowledge and offer possible answers to this question. Full story here.

UPDATE [11.28am, 19 Mar]: A former pilot suggested that there may have been a fire on board, the smoke from which would have short-circuited the electronics (including the transponder) and caused the pilots to pass out. He adds that the Captain may have tried to save the plane by setting a course to Langkawi, which explains the turn-back. Full story here.

Another Australian pilot and aviation expert offers insights into another possible explanation, where the plane may have undergone decompression due to an explosion on board, causing the pilots to lose consciousness before completing the redirection of the autopilot. Full story here.

Source: Yahoo News

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