SEPANG, July 18 — Malaysia vowed to find out precisely what caused Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 to crash in Ukraine although the Ukranian authorities believed the commercial air plane was shot down.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said if the plane had indeed been shot down, Malaysia would insist that the perpetrators be swiftly brought to
justice. “No stone will be left unturned,” he told a media conference here at Sama-Sama Hotel today.
Sounding sober in the packed press conference, Najib said the aircraft’s flight route was declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The International Air Transportation Association had stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions, he said.
He said Malaysia Airlines had confirmed that the aircraft, which was ferrying 280 passengers and 15 crew, did not make a distress call. “According to information provided by Kiev Air Traffic Control, the location of the plane’s emergency locator beacon was 48 degrees 7 minutes and 23 seconds North; and 38 degrees 31 minutes and 33 seconds East,” he said.
Najib said emergency operations centres had been established in relation to the tragedy, which he described as “terrible and deeply shocking”. He said Malaysian officials had been in constant contact with their counterparts in Ukraine and elsewhere.
Najib speaks to world leaders Najib said he had also spoken to the President of Ukraine and the leader had pledged that there would be a full, thorough and independent investigation where Malaysian officials would be invited to take part.
“The Ukrainian president also confirmed that his government will negotiate with rebels in the east of the country, in order to establish a humanitarian
corridor to the crash site,” he said. Najib also said he had had several conversations with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands and would also be speaking to a number of world leaders on the tragedy.
Najib revealed that he also received a call from US President Barack Obama and both agreed the investigation must not be hindered in anyway. “An international team must have full access to the crash site and no one should interfere with the area, or move any debris, including the black box.” he said.
Najib said Malaysia Airlines was in the process of notifying the next-of-kin of the passengers and crew while all possible care would be provided. He said Malaysia was dispatching a special flight to Kiev, carrying a Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team, as well as a medical team.
The Boeing 777-200 Malaysia Airline MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was scheduled to arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 6.10 am, Malaysian time. Najib said thoughts and prayers were with the family and friends of those onboard the flight.
“I cannot imagine what they must be going through at this painful time. But today, regardless of nationality, we are all united in grief. “This is a tragic day, in what has already been a tragic year, for Malaysia,” he said.
On March 8, flight MH370 with 227 passengers and 12 crew, which was on its way to Beijing, China went off the radar an hour after departing from Kuala
Lumpur International Airport at 12.41 am. However, the search for the missing flight is ongoing.
Najib had earlier attended a three-hour briefing on the MH17 incident at the Flight Management Building. Joining him at the briefing and press conference were Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Wee Ka Siong and Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Aziz Kaprawi.
-BERNAMA
