DCA reps in Australia mainly to assist in MH370 search, says report

The two representatives from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) sent to work with the Joint Agency Coordination Centre's (JACC) search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is mainly to facilitate and assist the operation, Bernama reported today.

The two representatives, DCA principal assistant director Noor Izhar Baharin and Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Search and Rescue Coordination Centre assistant director Muhammad Irfan Ahmad Baidove, when contacted by Bernama, said that their presence was also as liaison officers for Malaysia.

"This is now the process of gathering experts, since I think this could be considered as the first of such scenario that has happened in the world, so every expert has to come and give ideas to solve the problem," said Izhar.

Izhar also said that the team would have a briefing at 9am daily for the update on the search operation.

When asked to elaborate, Izhar declined, saying it would be best that this came from the JACC's chief coordinator himself.

"This (briefing) is needed as we would like to avoid clashes in giving statements, what more to the public," he told Bernama.

Asked how long they would be with the JACC, Izhar said the duration was still uncertain.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein yesterday, when announcing the participation of the two, also hinted that Malaysia might send representatives from three special ministerial committees on flight MH370.

The purpose of the three ministerial committees was to discuss the next course of action on the search and recovery of the aircraft's black boxes with the Australian authorities.

Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, left the Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 12.41am and disappeared from radar screens about an hour later while over the South China Sea. It was to have arrived in Beijing at 6.30am the same day. – Bernama, April 13, 2014.