MH370 Crashed in Indian Ocean, West of Perth; All Passengers Feared Dead, PM Confirms
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak confirmed in a press conference that the missing Malaysian Airlines MH370 ended in Indian Ocean, west of Perth.
His announcement was based on conclusion made by British investigators from Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
The Malaysian Prime Minister said that Malaysia Airlines, together with AAIB, had determined that the missing MH370 flew along the south corridor, and the plane's last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's full statement on the missing MH370 plane as follows:
"This evening I was briefed by representatives from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). They informed me that Inmarsat, the UK company that provided the satellite data which indicated the northern and southern corridors, has been performing further calculations on the data. Using a type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort, they have been able to shed more light on MH370's flight path. Based on their new analysis, Inmarsat and the AAIB have concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor, and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites.
It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.
We will be holding a press conference tomorrow with further details.
In the meantime, we wanted to inform you of this new development at the earliest opportunity. We share this information out of a commitment to openness and respect for the families, two principles which have guided this investigation.
Malaysia Airlines has already spoken to the family of the passengers and crew to inform them of this development. For them the past few weeks have been heartbreaking. I know this news must be hard as well. I urge the media to respect their privacy and allow them the space they need at this very difficult time."
Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines expressed their condolences to the families of the passengers through a text message prior to the announcement.
"Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived. As you will hear in the next hour from Malaysia's Prime Minister, we must now accept all evidence suggests the plane went down in the Southern Indian Ocean."