MH370: Cabinet approves appointment of international investigation team

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein on Wednesday said his ministry will spearhead the efforts to draft the Term of Reference for the investigation team while his deputy, Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi will lead the subcommittee and coordinate the formation of the team.

Aziz will issue the appointment of the team next week and investigation into the disappearance of MH370 is expected to commence after that.

“The main purpose of the international investigation team is to evaluate, investigate and determine the actual cause of the incident, so similar incidents could be avoided in the future.

“Investigation will not include criminal aspects which are under the purview of the Royal Malaysian Police,” Hishammuddin said at a press briefing at the Royal Chulan Hotel.

The investigation will be carried out in accordance to the Civil Aviation Regulation 1966 and the standards set under Annex 13 - Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, the Chicago Convention, which requires each party to investigate air accidents independently with full powers in their respective countries.

The team will include three groups; an airworthiness group - to look into issues such as maintenance records, structures and systems; an operational group - to examine flight recorders, operations and meteorology and the medical and human factors group – to investigate issues such as psychology, pathology and survival factors.