MH370: Final report to be released after wreckage found or search mission ends

This was stated in the interim statement that was released by The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370 today.

"To-date, the MH370 wreckage has still not been found despite the continuing search in the South Indian Ocean. However, a flaperon was recovered in the French island of Réunion on 29 July 2015 and was determined to have been a part of the MH370 aircraft.

"At this time, the Team is continuing to work towards finalising its analysis, findings/ conclusions and safety recommendations on eight relevant areas associated with the disappearance of flight MH370 based on available information.

"New information that may become available before the completion of the Final Report may alter these analysis, findings/ conclusions and safety recommendations," the statement said.

The statement was read by the team's chief investigator, Datuk Kok Soo Chun live at 3pm on Astro AWANI.

The three-page statement was also uploaded onto the official MH370 website (www.mh370.gov.my).

Meanwhile, the eight areas being reviewed by the team are:

1. Diversion from Filed Flight Plan Route 2. Air Traffic Services Operations 3. Flight Crew Profile 4. Airworthiness & Maintenance and Aircraft Systems 5. Satellite Communications 6. Wreckage and Impact Information (following the recovery and verification of a flaperon from the aircraft) 7. Organisation and Management Information of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Malaysia and MAS 8. Aircraft Cargo Consignment.

This is the second interim report released to the public, with the first being on March 8, 2015 – the first anniversary of the MH370 disappearance.

On March 8, 2014, Flight MH370, with a total 239 persons (227 passengers and 12 crew) on board, departed the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang for a routine flight to Beijing, China.

Radar contact with the Boeing 777 aircraft was lost in less that 40 minutes after take-off.

READ: Two years on, MH370 appears to have flown into the unknown READ: MH370: Malaysia remains committed, hopeful missing plane will be found - Najib