Cops record more than 170 statements in probe into MH370, says report
After 3½ weeks of investigations into the missing flight MH370, Malaysian police have recorded more than 170 statements and are expected to interview more people, CNN reported, citing a report in the Wall Street Journal.
The report quoted the Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (pic) as saying the probe into the missing plane was classified as a criminal investigation.
However, he said it was a likely that what happened to flight MH370 might remain unknown after the investigation.
Khalid was also quoted as saying that the investigation into the flight simulator seized from the pilot's house was still inconclusive.
The authorities were waiting for an expert's report on the simulator, he said.
Meanwhile, air accident investigation experts slammed the authorities for not correcting earlier the last voice transmission from MH370.
They said even if the new transcript offered no clues about the plane's disappearance, the discrepancy with what was released earlier had undermined confidence in the investigation.
"High criticism is in order at this point," said Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general for the US Department of Transportation.
Michael Goldfarb, a former chief of staff at the Federal Aviation Administration, told CNN that people following the investigation "haven't had a straight, clear word that we can have a lot of fidelity in".
"We have t
he tragedy of the crash, we have the tragedy of an investigation gone awry and then we have questions about where we go from here," he said.
Putrajaya yesterday released the full transcript of the conversation between the pilots on flight MH370 and the air traffic control in Kuala Lumpur, from just before its take off at 12.25am until the final sign-off at 1.19am when the pilot was told to contact Ho Chi Minh City's air traffic control.
Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein had said in a statement that the transcript had been shared with the families of passengers on board the flight.
"There is no indication of anything abnormal in the transcript," Hishammuddin had said, adding that it had initially been held back as part of police investigations.
"Previously, MAS had stated initial investigations indicated that the voice which signed off was that of the co-pilot, Fariq Abdul Hamid.
"Police are working to confirm this belief, and forensic examination of the actual recording is ongoing," Hishammuddin said in the statement.
He, however, said both the international investigations team and Malaysia were still in agreement that MH370's movements were consistent with a deliberate action by someone on board. – April 2, 2014.
