MH370: Fresh data narrows search range

KUALA LUMPUR: Fresh data received by international agencies investigating the whereabouts of Flight MH370 has further narrowed down the search range for the aircraft after computations showed that the Boeing 777-200D had travelled at a much higher speed.
Department of Civil Aviation Director-General Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said today said the new findings were made by the aircraft's Washington-based builder Boeing after scrutinizing past flight records of the aircraft.
He said the findings of the Boeing probe showed that the MH370 may not have travelled as far out as it was initially thought.
"There is high complexity in the computation of these findings and we will explain the technicalities in due time.
"So far, the origins of the objects in the satellite imagery provided by six countries involved in the search are yet to be known.
"It would be good if they can be fished out of the waters for verification but the search teams are unable to do so due to adverse weather conditions," he said.
The new outcome of the findings could also mean that the aircraft flew at a much lower altitude, possibly below 15,000 feet throughout its journey.
An aircraft's fuel consumption is highest at lower flight levels.
The new search areas are about 1,680 kilometres west and 2,500km south-west of Perth where hundreds of objects sighted by satellites are huddled in the Indian Ocean.
Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was also asked to comment on the pulling-out of several countries involved in the SAR operations.
"They pulled out because they did not have suitable assets for the search in the new areas. They did not deliberately pull out for any other reasons.
"All 26 countries have stood by Malaysia and helped us in the search.
"Nevertheless, we will never give up until solid evidence of the missing aircraft is found," he said in a press conference at the Putra World Trade Centre today.