NTSB expert accuses Malaysia of being 'incompetent'

A top US aviation safety expert accused the Malaysian government of being "incompetent" in conducting investigations into the passenger jet's mysterious disappearance into the Indian Ocean, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Former US National Transportations Safety Board chairman Jim Hall was critical in an interview with CNN on Monday evening when he was asked if public statements by the Malaysian authorities could be trusted. "Regrettably, the Malaysian government is incompetent to handle this investigation," Hall was quoted as saying.

Malaysia's performance, the WSJ said, contrasted with the NTSB's strict protocols and systematic style last year when it released daily updates about the Asiana Airlines Boeing 777-200ER that crashed into a sea wall and broke apart while trying to land at San Francisco International Airport.

The Malaysian Insider

PM tells police to focus on investigations

While the answers to what occurred on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ultimately hinge on the recovery of the aircraft's black box, or flight recorder, police should focus on other aspects of the investigation, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said. "The families of the passengers and crew need answers to what happened to their loved ones.

"This is a huge tragedy for the country: thus the police must ensure a high standard of investigation," he said in his speech before launching the 207th Police Day event at the Police Training Center on Tuesday.

The Star in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Airlines CEO talks about resignation

Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said on Tuesday that he would decide later whether to resign, as search efforts continued for one of his airline's planes, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

He was asked at a news conference whether he would resign following the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 carrying 239 people on March 8.

Reuters

US Navy flies black-box detector to Australia

The US Navy said on Monday that it was flying a listening device able to locate a submerged flight data recorder, or black box, to Australia as a "precautionary measure" in case searchers discover a debris field. The device is towed behind a ship to locate signals sent out by a flight recorder down to a maximum of 6,100 meters. Along with the black-box locator, the Pentagon said on Monday it is sending an underwater unmanned vehicle, known as a Bluefin 21, to Australia to help search a possible debris field. The vehicle can operate for 25 hours and descend 4,570 meters below the ocean's surface.

The Wall Street Journal