MH370: Malaysia will appoint independent investigating team

Malaysia will appoint an independent Investigator-In-Charge, or IIC, to lead an investigating team into the disappearance of Flight MH370.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein on Saturday said the move was in accordance to standards stipulated under the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The team will include three groups - airworthiness, operations, medical and human factors.

The airworthiness group will look into issues such as maintenance records, structures and systems while the operations team will examine the flight recorders, operations and the meteorological aspects of the investigation.

Issues pertaining to psychology, pathology and survival factors, meanwhile, will fall under the purview of the medical and human factors group.

Under the ICAO, when an aviation accident occurs, the Transport Ministry of the country which the aircraft is registered to, can appoint accredited representatives to participate in the investigations.

During the investigation, the IIC will have unhampered access to all relevant materials, including wreckage, flight recorders, and ATS (air traffic service) records.

Australia has agreed to be part of the accredited investigation team. Malaysia will also include China, the United States, United Kingdom and France as accredited representatives, as well as other countries that are able to help with the investigations of MH370.

Hishammuddin added that under requirements set out by the ICAO in Annex 13 of the International Standards and Recommended Practices, Malaysia will continue to lead the investigations into the disappearance of MH370.