Malaysia Plane Motive: Crime Investigators Refocus On Crew, Passengers, PM Razak Says

Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak, MH370 Press Conference March 14, 2014 (ABC live video screenshot)

It is premature to say Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been hijacked, but after yesterday’s revelations that communications were manually disabled and the diversion was a deliberate act, the investigation team is refocusing on the passengers and expanding the search, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told a standing room only crowd early Saturday. Loved ones separately were told the matter is a criminal investigation, so Malaysia Airlines will not provide further information to them, only government.

Reporters, foreign ambassadors and passengers’ loved ones crowded into a standing room only press conference room in Kuala Lumpur to hear Prime Minister Razak’s briefing. The conference was called after news broke that the investigation team concluded that the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 had been hijacked, according to one Malaysian government official on the team.

The press conference was called for 1:30am ET. Viewers around the world watched on livestream. Nearing 2:00am, in typical Pacific Island tine, with no sight of the prime minister, a press conference spokesperson addressed the eager crowd. He advised that Prime Minister Razak would make a statement to update everyone on the missing Malaysia Airlines flight at the press conference, but he would not except questions until the next press conference slated for 5:30 am ET.

Reporters, loved ones, ambassadors eagerly await latest report from a very tardy Malyasian Prime Minister Razak, who explained he’s been involved wiht the crisis around the clock. One source said Ryzak ran to the briefing from another meeting..

Among the first words of Prime Minister Razak, he acknowledged this “excruciating time” for loved ones, and “no words can describe the pain” they are suffering.

Razak said he’s been involved around the clock in the investigation. He said that he initially asked all involved in the investigation to share with transparency everything they learned, adding that 14 countries have been involved. Razak thanked all of them for “their help at such a crucial time.”

“Since day one,” he said, “Malaysia authorities have worked hand-in-hand with others, many on the ground since Sunday. We’ve shared info with authorities with experience. We’ve been working non-stop in the investigation.”

Again, he stated, “It is widely understood that this has been a situation without precedence.”

“Malaysia has put national security second to the search for the missing,” he said. “At every stage… we followed every credible lead. Sometimes these leads left us nowhere. We understand the desperate need for information,” Razak said. “On behalf of the families and those watching around the world, we have a responsibility to only release information that’s been corroborated.

“Early this morning, I was briefed by the investigation team, which includes the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration of the United States), NTSB (the US National Transportation Safety Board), the AAIB (United Kingdom’s Air Accident Investigation Branch), the Malaysian authorities and the acting minister of transport, on new information that sheds further light on what happened to MH370.

“We can say with a high degree of certainty that aircraft communications system was disabled.  Movement of missing Malaysia Airlines plane was consistent with deliberate action of someone on plane. After much forensic deliberation and the team working separately,” he said they all concur on that.

“Data showed the plane made a turn back, flew toward Strait of Malacca,” Razak stated.  “Data shows Malaysia Airlines plane’s last communication with satellite was in 1 of 2 locations. The country is ending the search for the missing plane in South China Sea, and reassessing deployment of assets,” he stated.

Razak asserted, ”Despite media reports that plane was hijacked, authorities are still investigating all possibilities.” He followed that saying that in view of the latest development regarding satellite data, authorities are refocusing attention on the passengers and crew after missing plane’s actions suggest deliberate action.

[Read: You Won’t Believe What Spies On Malaysia Plane Were Doing]

The investigation team is also making further calculations that will indicate how far the plane flew. It is also opening the investigation to two new corridors that will involve many more countries.

“The 2 new corridors involve many more countries and they’ve been invited to participated in the investigation,” he said. “I’ve also instructed a full briefing be provided for all nations with passengers on the plane.”

“Clearly the search has entered a new stage,” he said. “We hope this step brings us closer to finding the plane.”

Meanwhile, The Straits Times reports that Malaysia Airlines commercial director told relatives in Beijing that information on missing flight MH370 will be released by the government, not the airline, as it is now a “criminal investigation.” 

Sources: ABC Livestream, The Straits Times

Photo Credit: ABC livestream screenshots

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