Kuala Lumpur, March 15- Investigators now believe a Malaysian jet that vanished was commandeered by a “skilled, competent” flyer who piloted the plane for hours, a senior Malaysian military official said Saturday as Prime Minister Najib Razak prepared to address the nation.
Speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, the official cited Malaysian military radar data that investigators believe indicate the Boeing 777 may have radically changed course and headed northwest towards the Indian Ocean.
“It has to be a skilled, competent and a current pilot,” the official said.
“He knew how to avoid the civilian radar. He appears to have studied how to avoid it.”
Prime Minister Najib’s office said on its Twitter account that he would address the nation.
It gave no further details, but the official’s comments and the planned press briefing raised expectations of a major announcement in the case. Najib has so far left press briefings in the crisis to lower-ranking officials.
More to follow
-FreeMalaysiaToday
