Malaysia is deploying more assets for the pursuant deep-sea search for its missing jetliner MH370 in the new location in the Southern Indian Ocean, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
He said the Royal Malaysian Navy vessel, KD Mutiara, which has the capability of the multi-beam echo sounder would join the search efforts to assist in the current bathymetric survey process.
"The ship will set sail on Aug 4," he told reporters after launching the MH370 Photo Exhibition here today.
Also present were Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Department of Civil Aviation director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman and Malaysia Airlines (MAS) CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahaya.
On commercial assets, Hishammuddin said Petronas, together with DEFTECH and Phoenix International, would immediately deploy a Prosas Side Scan Sonar (Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar), which would be mounted on a mother vessel which was soon to be identified.
He said another company, Boustead Heavy Industries, together with iXBlue Australia would also be deploying a deep towed side scan sonar with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) mounted on the mother vessel called John Lethbridge.
The assets were expected to reach the search area in mid-August and the operational requirements for these assets would be coordinated with the Australian authorities, he added.
Hishammuddin further explained that the Royal Malaysian Navy vessel, Bunga Mas 6 (BM6), which had been actively present since the surface search was carried out in April, would remain in the search area in the coming phase to assist in the search for MH370.
He said BM6 was currently assisting with logistical support and data transfer for the vessels within the search area.
On June 26, the Australian official had announced that the new search area for MH370 would be shifted further south in the southern Indian Ocean, an endeavour that is expected to be concluded in about a year.
The new location, however, would still be in the area where the Beijing-bound Boeing 777-200 plane with 239 people onboard last communicated with the Inmarsat satellite before it went missing on March 8, after taking off from the KL International Airport.
The bathymetric or mapping of the sea floor survey is expected to complete in three months, followed by the comprehensive deep-sea search in August.
Asked on the cost for the coming search operation, Hishammuddin said the newly annouced assets deployment would be borne by the commercial companies.
Moving forward, he said there could be a possibility that Malaysia, China and Australia would share and bear the cost of the search operation.
Commenting on compensation to the families of those onboard MH370, Hishammuddin said the matter was the responsibility of the Next-of-Kin Committee which was now working closely with MAS to settle it according to their timeline.
After the plane went missing, a massive multinational search was launched, first in the South China Sea and later extended to the Malacca Straits and Andaman Sea, before the search teams shifted their attention to the waters off western Australia in the southern Indian Ocean, half way to Antarctica.
On May 29, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre discounted the vicinity of the acoustic signals detected in the southern Indian Ocean in early April as the final resting place of MH370.
Meanwhile, forty photographs taken by international and local photographers who covered the MH370 incident are currently showcased at the Publika's mall Black and Blue Bridge until July 21.
The photo exhibition was organised by the Foreign Correspondent Club of Malaysia.
Bernama
Sun Jul 06 2014
HISHAMMUDDIN: KD Mutiara has the capability of the multi-beam echo sounder to assist in the current bathymetric survey process.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Laporan interim siap dalam masa dua minggu - Fahmi
Menteri Pertahanan akan membuat pengumuman berhubung bantuan yang akan diberikan pada Rabu.
Gadang rayu EPU ketepikan keperluan ekuiti Bumiputera bagi pengambilan tanah Kwasa Damansara
Gadang Holdings Bhd berkata ia akan merayu kepada Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU) untuk mengenepikan keperluan ekuiti Bumiputera bagi memudahkan pemilikan tanah seluas 21.08 ekar di Kwasa Damansara.
Doa dan kenangan buat pejuang
Titipan doa Wartawan Ridauddin Daud buat pejuang negara yang meninggal dunia dalam nahas dua helikopter di Pangkalan TLDM. Semoga roh mereka dicucuri rahmat.
PM Vietnam cadang ASEAN jadi model transformasi digital global
Perdana Menteri Vietnam mencadangkan orientasi kejayaan untuk menjadikan ASEAN sebagai model dalam transformasi digital di peringkat global.
Proses bedah siasat selesai, penghormatan terakhir mengikut tradisi tentera laut
Ridauddin Daud membawakan perkembangan terkini penghomatan terakhir kepada 10 mangsa insiden helikopter TLDM yang terhempas di Lumut.
[TERKINI] Anak menteri besar antara enam direman bersabit kes tuntutan palsu
Anak seorang menteri besar, Pegawai kanan Pejabat MB antara enam yang direman bagi bantu siasatan pemalsuan dokumen dan tuntutan palsu berjumlah RM600,000.
Agong berkenan meriahkan Majlis Sulaman Kasih Aidilfitri Kementerian Perpaduan
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ibrahim hari ini berkenan memeriahkan Majlis Sulaman Kasih Aidifitri Kementerian Perpaduan Negara.
[KOLUMNIS] Kawalan kendiri dapat perkukuh penguatkuasaan undang-undang AI
Tanpa kawalan kendiri, undang-undang mungkin menjadi tidak berkesan termasuklah dalam persoalan impak AI terhadap masyarakat.
Nahas helikopter Lumut: Proses bedah siasat 10 mangsa selesai - TLDM
Proses bedah siasat melibatkan 10 mangsa nahas helikopter terhempas di Lumut yang dijalankan di Jabatan Forensik Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun (HRPB) selesai pada jam 2.20 petang Rabu.
AWANI Ringkas: Suspek kes tembak KLIA didakwa
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Isu LCS: Ini bukan kerja 'bilis' tapi 'jerung' - Rafizi dakwa penyelewengan dirancang dari awal
Kata Rafizi, ini terbukti dengan penglibatan syarikat-syarikat palsu dan lapisan subkontraktor yang dilantik dalam projek berkenaan.
Langgar SOP: 'Saya hadir sebagai tetamu, salah tetap salah' - Hishammuddin
Hishamuddin turut memaklumkan program politik dilihat sukar dikawal meskipun diberi kelonggaran.
SOP COVID-19: Sidang Media Khas Mesyuarat Kuartet Menteri jam 1.30 tengah hari ini
Satu sidang Media Khas sempena Mesyuarat Kuartet Menteri COVID-19 berhubung Prosedur Operasi Standard (SOP) akan berlangsung di Bangunan Parlimen pada jam 1.30 tengah hari ini.
Surat lucut keahlian Hishammuddin palsu dan berniat jahat - Setiausaha Kerja UMNO
UMNO menafikan surat berhubung pelucutan keahlian Ahli Parlimen Sembrong, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein yang tular di media sosial pada Jumaat.
Malaysia dan Arab Saudi tubuh Jawatankuasa Strategik pasca pandemik COVID-19
Jawatankuasa yang dipengerusikan Menteri Luar Negeri kedua-dua negara itu bakal membincangkan kerjasama dua hala berasaskan ekonomi dan keselamatan.
Tidak perlu dedah secara umum aset pertahanan negara - Mohamad Sabu
Menteri Pertahanan Mohamad Sabu menegaskan bahawa Kertas Putih Pertahanan yang dibentangkan tidak perlu memperincikan aset strategik ketenteraan negara.
Hari UMNO ke-72 ... tapi mana KJ?
Beberapa pimpinan tertinggi UMNO termasuk presidennya, Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak hadir ke Majlis Sambutan Hari UMNO ke-72 di Pusat Dagangan Dunia Putra, malam tadi.
Hishamuddin puji tindakan pantas ATM bantu mangsa banjir Pulau Pinang
Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein berbangga dengan tindakan pantas Angkatan Tentera Malaysia membantu mangsa-mangsa banjir di Pulau Pinang.
Hubungan kami bukan retorik atau main-main - Hishammuddin
Katanya, hubungan baik yang dipamerkan antara dirinya dan Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi bukan semata-mata lakonan.
Rafizi: Kerajaan hendak kutip cukai GST dengan letak jangka hayat kenderaan
Alasan sebenar kerajaan mahu meletakkan had jangka hayat kereta adalah untuk mengutip cukai barangan dan perkhidmatan (GST) yang bakal dilaksanakan.