MH370: MAS remains committed in sharing confirmed information

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) remains absolutely committed to sharing confirmed information with family members and the wider public in a fully open and transparent manner over the disappearance of Flight MH370.

MAS, in a statement here on Saturday, said however, given the nature of the situation, the importance of validating new information before it was released into the public domain was paramount.

"Further to the statement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak earlier today, into the ongoing search for Flight MH370, MAS has shared all available information with the relevant authorities since the moment we learned that the aircraft had disappeared, in the early hours of Saturday, March 8.

"This includes the very first indications that MH370 might have remained airborne for several hours after contact was lost, which the prime minister referred to today," said the statement.

At a press conference on Saturday, Najib confirmed the unknown flight traced by the primary radar was MH370, which had deviated from its original path last Saturday, and gone missing.

The statement said, given the nature of the situation and its extreme sensitivity, it was critical that raw satellite signals were verified and analysed by the relevant authorities so that their significance could be properly understood.

"This naturally, took some time, during which we were unable to publicly confirm their existence," it said.

The statement said there had never been a case in which information gleaned from satellite signals alone could potentially be used to identify the location of a missing commercial airliner.

"This is truly an unprecedented situation, for Malaysia Airlines and for the entire aviation industry," it said.

It said that MAS' absolute priority at all times had been to support the authorities leading the multinational search for MH370, so that they could finally provide the answers which the families and the wider community were waiting for.

"We were well aware of the ongoing media speculation during this period, and its effect on the families of those onboard. Their anguish and distress increase with each passing day, with each fresh rumour, and with each false or misleading media report.

"Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of the 227 passengers and our 12 colleagues and friends on board flight MH370. They will remain at the centre of every action we take as a company, as they have been since MH370 first disappeared," added the statement.