With the probe into the missing Malaysian jet now exploring the possibility of hijack, the Malaysian Premier on Sunday spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking India’s support in the investigation.
Authorities in Malaysia confirmed that the investigation into the missing Boeing 777-200 aircraft carrying 239 people has entered a new phase. Investigators suspect that the plane’s communication system was “deliberately disabled” and its transponder switched off before it veered from its path and flew for a good odd seven hours before finally disappearing off Malaysia’s east coast.
Investigators further suggest a ‘ping’ was detected from one of two air corridors going north and south from the sea off Malaysia. This suggests that the missing plane could have been on the ground when it sent its last satellite signal, a Malaysian official said.
Malaysian Premier Najib Razak spoke to PM Manmohan Singh a day after this fact surfaced. India had put on hold its search operations for the missing airliner as it was awaiting fresh instructions from Malaysian authorities who are likely to scout new areas to locate the plane. India had deployed five warships and six surveillance aircraft for the search operation.
Earlier in Kuala lumpur, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that the number of countries involved in the search of flight MH370 had nearly doubled to 25. “The number of countries involved in the search and rescue operation has increased from 14 to 25,” Hussein told a Press conference in the Malaysian capital. Investigation is refocusing on the backgrounds of the passengers, pilots and even ground staff. The families of the pilot and co-pilot have been interviewed.
Hussein confirmed that the information available with the investigators was shared by Premier Razak with his counterparts in India, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Besides, Malaysian Foreign Ministry officials also briefed representatives from at least 22 countries, including India, to seek their help in the search. The help includes satellite and primary radar data and requesting deployment of sea search assets, the Minister said.
With efforts to search the missing plane yielding no results, the possibility of the plane being hijacked gets strong. The Malaysian authorities confirmed that probe “entered a new phase” as its “nature” has changed. Police chief Khalid Abu Bakar said they have dismantled the simulator and reassembled it in their office to examine it. “Investigations include possibility of hijack, sabotage and terrorism,” he added.
The Beijing-bound jetliner carrying 227 passengers, including five Indians and one Indian-Canadian, and 12 crew members mysteriously vanished from radar screens an hour after taking off from Kuala lumpur on March 8. Meanwhile, Indian intelligence officials have cleared the five Indians on board after the Malaysian police sought background checks of all people on board.