SHAH ALAM, 29 Jan: The Malaysian government announced that all 239 of the passengers and crew onboard MH370 are presumed to have lost their lives
The Director General of the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, announced this in a broadcast aired through RTM at 6pm today.
Azharuddin said that the declaration will help the relatives submit their claims for compensation.
He said that Malaysia considers that the passengers would not have been able to survive in the search area, South Indian Ocean, after 327 days have passed.
“So, with the heaviest heart and deepest sorrow that we officially declare Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 an accident.
“All 239 of the passengers and crew onboard MH370 are presumed to have lost their lives,” he said, taken from Malaysia Kini.
He said that the declaration was made under the Chicago Convention standards.
The press conference organised by the DCA was supposed to be held at 3.30pm in Putrajaya, but it was cancelled due to the presence of the relatives at the briefing session, said the DCA in a statement today.
Family members issued a statement urging the Malaysian government to not to make a hasty conclusion regarding the issue yesterday.
The MH370 aircraft carrying 239 passengers went missing on route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March last year and has not been found until now.
NS
