MH 777 missing - MH370 media statement

[legroom]

Recent shiftings of search areas from ongoing analysis of old / new data show how difficult it must be for Malaysia to keep people (incl. grieving relatives in mainland China) 'fully' informed.

Understandably, they - along with everyone else - would like to have instant and definitive answers on the location, reasons etc... for the event.

But as events in the last few days showed, this remains a fluid situation despite the best intentions and it remains so even since AMSA involvement.

Some posts upthread sought to blame the Malaysians for not keeping the relatives informed explaining how that contributed to the angry scenes in Peking.

 

[RooFlyer]

Not a leap, just a narrowing down of the search area:

RNZAF Orion spotted objects in #MH370 search area, identity to be established. Soon to land @ RAAF Pearce. AMSA awaiting imagery. 1/2

Sightings need confirmation by ship - not expected until tomorrow.

This is what I was alluding to in my recent posts (I'm assuming the image, from the ABC is an accurate representation of the past and present search zones).

The jump from the 'far SW zones' which I understand was the area of the sat images of debris prior to the 28th, to the new zone of 28th March is quite a 'leap'. I understand the second area is based on more detailed analysis of the ping data. Again, absolutely no criticism of those planning/conducting the search - just that I find it odd that unless they have eliminated most of the debris picked up in sat images of the far SW area (either by searching or later sat image analysis), then a wholesale shift into a distinctly different area is hard to follow. Or maybe its not a wholesale shift of all assets at all.

 

[DC3]

Right from the start, and for the past three weeks, no-one knows where this aircraft is, exactly (or approximately). No-one has any idea, it seems. This should not prevent searching, but until some aircraft debris is located, it's all conjecture.

A whole lot of photos and sightings of 'something', but nothing of substance to show as yet.

 

[markis10]

This is what I was alluding to in my recent posts (I'm assuming the image, from the ABC is an accurate representation of the past and present search zones).

The jump from the 'far SW zones' which I understand was the area of the sat images of debris prior to the 28th, to the new zone of 28th March is quite a 'leap'. I understand the second area is based on more detailed analysis of the ping data. Again, absolutely no criticism of those planning/conducting the search - just that I find it odd that unless they have eliminated most of the debris picked up in sat images of the far SW area (either by searching or later sat image analysis), then a wholesale shift into a distinctly different area is hard to follow. Or maybe its not a wholesale shift of all assets at all.


View attachment 26697

Nothing odd, they just now have data that indicates the aircraft did not have the endurance it was thought to have so they have shortened the track. It's very normal and happens all the time, as new info comes in things change.

 

[burmans]

Some posts upthread sought to blame the Malaysians for not keeping the relatives informed explaining how that contributed to the angry scenes in Peking.

Ah yes I know the type well, people who are great at telling you how they would do it better. Funnily enough, in real life it seems to be pretty much consistent that there are those who do and those who like to not do much but are good at finding everything wrong with first group. I know which people I rather have on my team when I want anything done and it's not group 2!

 

[markis10]

HMAS Toowoomba, an Anzac class frigate has joined the search, sailing from fleet base West this afternoon.

 

[DC3]

In another hour-plus, there won't be much to see in the search area until tomorrow:

 

[boomy]

Interesting article about the compensation to the families.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/101522502
Under the Montreal Convention treaty each family should get around $176,000 but apparently the relatives of the American pax can get much more if they take the matter to court. An American court could pay out $8-10 million per pax, while in China the amount would be less then $1 million.
It is estimated that the airline could pay $500-750 million in compensations to the families and will have liability insurance of $1 billion.

 

[Fleetz]

Then it won't be long before SMH have found an angle to blame Tony Abbott for the aircraft's disappearance.

Although this incident is not yet over, I think we must express our thanks to markis10 for his efforts in keeping us up to date with what is actually happening. I for one greatly appreciate the facts and intelligent analysis he has given us. There are a few other level heads in this thread and they deserve our thanks too.

HMAS Toowoomba, an Anzac class frigate has joined the search, sailing from fleet base West this afternoon.

I would think HMS Toowoomba has the black box tracking device on board?.....time is ticking down on the BB battery life.

 

[Robbi]

Interesting article about the compensation to the families.
MH370 families face huge compensation disparity
Under the Montreal Convention treaty each family should get around $176,000 but apparently the relatives of the American pax can get much more if they take the matter to court. An American court could pay out $8-10 million per pax, while in China the amount would be less then $1 million.
It is estimated that the airline could pay $500-750 million in compensations to the families and will have liability insurance of $1 billion.

On what basis are MH liable for the actions that led to this outcome?

 

[anat0l]

On what basis are MH liable for the actions that led to this outcome?

I guess at a simple level, it's their aircraft and their employee, so they cop it.

Unless they can fully prove that the full responsibility falls upon Boeing, i.e. the hardware.

Given that this factor can't be ruled out, I suppose no real settlement or end of lawsuit can take place until at least the aircraft is retrieved and the full accident report is completed. This could easily take at least 2 years.

 

[Melburnian1]

Am I correct to assume that if a piece of debris alleged to belong to the missing aircraft is located in the seas, oceanographers will be able to calculate where it may have been on the night of the 'hull lose' by analysing the direction of currents and the knots at which waves were moving?

Or is that asking too much? What degree of accuracy can such specialists forecast to per week or year for movement of a solid object?

 

[drron]

I guess at a simple level, it's their aircraft and their employee, so they cop it.

Unless they can fully prove that the full responsibility falls upon Boeing, i.e. the hardware.

Given that this factor can't be ruled out, I suppose no real settlement or end of lawsuit can take place until at least the aircraft is retrieved and the full accident report is completed. This could easily take at least 2 years.

Unfortunately in the US you really don't have to have evidence,indeed evidence may be suppressed.In the Silk Air case the jury was not allowed to hear the results of the NTSB investigation.So the maker of a part of the tail lost a damages case even though the Silkair 737 was built after that defect had been corrected.
In Singapore on the other hand those that sued SQ lost because they could not prove definitely that the pilot was to blame.

The same US lawyers that are taking on the MH370 pax law case are also suing Boeing for the Asiana crash at SFO.Guess the NTSB evidence will not be heard again.

SilkAir Flight 185 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[prozac]

I would think HMS Toowoomba has the black box tracking device on board?.....time is ticking down on the BB battery life.

I think markis mentioned the US Navy’s Towed Pinger Locator was installed on Ocean Shield last Sunday and vessel has now sailed.

...

 

[Robbi]

Am I correct to assume that if a piece of debris alleged to belong to the missing aircraft is located in the seas, oceanographers will be able to calculate where it may have been on the night of the 'hull lose' by analysing the direction of currents and the knots at which waves were moving?

Or is that asking too much? What degree of accuracy can such specialists forecast to per week or year for movement of a solid object?

Yes, but the margin of error will be increasing with every day since the crash. The effect of the ocean current will be relatively predictable but the effect of wind and waves will be much more random.

The buoyancy of the item will also affect how it moves. Something completely in water will move with the current, something sticking up on the surface will move with wind as well.

 

[prozac]

Last Sept/Oct I flew MH KUL-AMS return on the B777-200. In the dead of the night I had a conversation with the copilot who was taking a break from the flight-deck to freshening up. He was a nice young bloke and it has had me wondering if he is the same copilot on MH370.

 

[JohnPhelan]

HMAS Toowoomba, an Anzac class frigate has joined the search, sailing from fleet base West this afternoon.

Good. I've found it quite sad and embarrassing, as an Australian, that we've only had one naval vessel able to be deployed (until now).

 

[markis10]

Good. I've found it quite sad and embarrassing, as an Australian, that we've only had one naval vessel able to be deployed (until now).

Its the third, Ocean Shield is also involved.

 

[legroom]

For an aerial search of this nature, would a P3 plane (turbo-propellers) be a 'better' option than an IL 76 (jet engines) ?

As a layman, I'd imagine that prop planes could fly lower & slower.

Is that correct or absolute bull....?

Thanks

 

[Robbi]

For an aerial search of this nature, would a P3 plane (turbo-propellers) be a 'better' option than an IL 76 (jet engines) ?

As a layman, I'd imagine that prop planes could fly lower & slower.

Is that correct or absolute bull....?

Thanks

The P3 flies lower and slower with good endurance, and can loiter for prolonged periods, but I guess it depends on if you are relying on visual detection or radar detection, and whether visual detection is with the Mk I Human Eyeball or some electro-optical device.