Aviation
Malaysian jet: Missing plane ended in Indian Ocean – Prime Minister
KUALA LUMPUR — Earlier today, Prime Minister Najib Razak said the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was lost in the southern Indian ocean.
He based this new conclusion on new analysis of satellite data based on briefings by Britain’s air accident investigations on data from Inmarsat the satellite company that had provided data that has led to a massive search for the aircraft. Analysis showed the Boeing BA +0.51% 777-200’s last position was in the Indian Ocean west of the Australian city of Perth. (Follow the latest developments on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.)”This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites,” Mr. Najib said. “It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.”
The latest calculations were based on a new analysis of the satellite-operator’s original data, relying on minute changes in the frequency of the electronic “pings”—or attempts to link up with satellites—received from the plane during its more than six-hour flight after dropping off radar, according to Tim Farrar, a satellite industry consultant.
Inmarsat was able to correlate two streams of data to form a more precise picture of where the Boeing 777 may have ended up, Mr. Farrar said. The initial data stream focused on the timing of the “pings” from the plane, he said, revealing distance from the satellite. The later stream focused on frequency changes involving the “Doppler effect,” he said, revealing the plane’s speed.
The Doppler effect has to do with changes in the frequency of a moving source of waves relative to an observer.
“It shows there is a lot more information hidden in what appears to be simple satellite data,” Mr. Farrar said. The latest analysis also indicated “there is a higher likelihood of the plane ending up in certain parts” of the southern arc.
A massive search has been under way. Civil and military aircraft from Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., China and Japan assisted in Monday’s search. The broader operation in the southern Indian Ocean has covered nearly 200,000 square miles (518,000 square kilometers) since it began March 17.
Mr. Najib said that a news conference would be held Tuesday. He didn’t take questions following his brief statement.
Mr. Najib said that Malaysia Airlines had spoken to the families of the 239 passengers and crew who were aboard the plane when in disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in the early hours of March 8.
“For them, the past few weeks have been heartbreaking,” Mr. Najib said. “I know this news must be harder still.”
Malaysia Airlines told the families of the passengers via text message that it “deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived.”Some family members have accused Malaysia of being slow to disclose information. The plane disappeared from radar an hour into its flight March 8 but data has indicated that it flew for several hours. The search zone has been widened and extended repeatedly until searches began to converge late last week on the southern Indian Ocean, a remote area.
Earlier Monday, the Australian Navy was investigating two objects spotted in the southern Indian Ocean, where Flight 370 was confirmed to have gone down based on the satellite data.
Addressing parliament, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said earlier Monday that two objects—one gray or green circular object and the second an orange rectangular object—were spotted by an Australian military aircraft about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth. A warship, HMAS Success, is looking for the objects and more aircraft are being sent to the area to assist in the search.
“We don’t know whether any of these objects are from MH370, they could be flotsam,” Mr. Abbott said. “Nevertheless, we are hopeful we can recover these objects and that will take us a step closer to resolving this tragic mystery.”
The U.S. Navy said Monday it was flying a listening device able to locate a submerged flight data recorder 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 20,000 feet.
Recovery of the so-called black box will be critical to discovering what happened to the Boeing 777-200 plane after it vanished from radar screens.
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced stringent measures against pilots and crew members who work for multiple airlines concurrently, a practice it describes as a serious safety violation.
In a letter dated November 6, 2024, Acting Director-General, Chris Nojomo warned that pilots operating for more than one airline without specific safety protocols pose significant risks to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
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The directive, titled “Prohibition of Ad-Hoc Flight Operators for Multiple Airlines,” noted that NCAA surveillance reports revealed multiple cases of unauthorized cross-airline work by flight crews, which the agency now plans to address.
According to the NCAA, simulator and proficiency checks endorsed on a pilot’s license are valid only for the specific airline and training program under which they were issued.
The letter stated, “With effect from the date of issuance of this directive, all operators and holders of pilot licenses are informed that this action will be treated as a violation of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations.”
The NCAA’s new policy, effective November 11, 2024, warns that violators will face strict enforcement actions. Moving forward, simulator renewals will also be filed directly with individual operators, further tightening the agency’s oversight.
In a bold step to strengthen Akwa Ibom’s position in Nigeria’s aviation industry, Governor Umo Eno announced the addition of two new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft to the fleet of the state-owned airline, Ibom Air, on Friday.
The two aircraft, registered as 5N-CED and 5N-CEE, mark a milestone in the state’s commitment to strategic investment, with the governor stressing that the acquisitions were fully funded by state resources without loans from financial institutions.
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At a welcoming ceremony attended by local officials and residents, Governor Eno emphasized his administration’s mission to drive revenue-generating ventures for Akwa Ibom rather than relying on debt.
He called the move a step toward breaking the cycle of government investments that only serve to pay off loans, vowing that the state’s funds would go towards projects that bring returns to the people.
The governor challenged Ibom Air to turn a profit by 2025, stating that the airline’s management should ensure routes in and out of Uyo remain dependable to prioritize the needs of Akwa Ibom travelers.
“As long as I remain governor, we will continue to use state funds for the benefit of all, not for private gain,” he said, noting that his administration aims to ensure that public investments deliver real value to the state.
Governor Eno also provided updates on several ambitious state projects, including an 18-story commercial complex underway in Lagos and an upcoming 4-star hotel in Abuja, both designed to generate revenue for Akwa Ibom.
Plans for an international market in Ikot Ekpene and the phased opening of a new terminal at the Victor Attah International Airport were also announced, with the airport terminal set for partial operation by December and full activation in early 2025.
Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, commended Eno’s financial management, highlighting that the administration has avoided seeking loans over the past 18 months despite launching significant development projects.
Ibom Air’s Chairman, Pastor Imoabasi Jacob, expressed appreciation for the state’s investment in the airline, which has seen its fleet grow to nine aircraft.
Jacob credited the governor’s support with enabling Ibom Air to boost flight capacity, meeting demand on popular routes such as Uyo-Lagos-Abuja.
Captain Mfon Udom, CEO of Ibom Air, stated that the expanded fleet will improve efficiency and allow the airline to scale up its operations in time for the Christmas travel season.
Udom also noted that the airline anticipates the delivery of nine additional Airbus planes, which will further strengthen Ibom Air’s market presence.
Traditional leaders, including HRM Edidem Ita Edet Okokon III of Okobo Local Government Area, lauded the governor’s leadership, pledging continued support from the traditional institutions.
Anie Essienette, Group Manager for Marketing and Communications at Ibom Air, noted that demand for the airline’s services has surged nationwide, with the new CRJ900 aircraft helping meet this increasing need while the airline awaits further fleet expansion.
Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo is of the view that there’s no cause for alarm over the approval of a private airstrip for a religious organisation, which attracted the attention of the House of Representatives.
He took to his verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Friday morning to shed light on the subject, and explained that it could be a great source of revenue for Federal Government.
Keyamo asserted that the issue was raised by an honourable member at plenary, out of ignorance, but was “unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into.”
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Keyamo expressed confidence that by the time his Ministry was done enlightening them, “they will be satisfied”.
He added that “the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.”
Keyamo wrote, “I think this is not correct. The House of Reps. as a body did not call on the Minister to revoke the license of any private airstrip.
“I think what happened is that someone moved a motion in that regard and it was unanimously referred to the Aviation Committee to look into it.
“Whilst the intention of the Hon. Member who moved it is very patriotic, it was based on a complete lack of knowledge of the aviation sector.
“By the time we explain to them how private air strips work and the processes they undergo by our agencies before the final approval, they will be satisfied.
“The responsibility of the owners of private air strips is just to build the runway and terminal building. But after they build the control tower in particular, it is completely handed over to the Federal Government through NAMA (Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) which is in complete control of the entire airspace in Nigeria. An MOU is usually signed with NAMA in this regard before the airstrip is approved for operations.
“It is NAMA that provides the Air Traffic Controllers and Engineers in ALL AIRPORTS and AIRSTRIPS IN NIGERIA. And the privates air strip owners pay the Federal Government handsomely for these services.
“No object flies into Nigeria without the prior clearance by NAMA and without filing a clear flight plan, eg, where it is taking off from and where it intends to land.
“And I have recently directed that all aircraft coming into the country MUST first land at our international airports where they would be properly processed and checked before they make their local flights into whatever airport or airstrip they intend to go. So, it is COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY impossible for any private airstrip owner to just jump on an aircraft and fly in and out of the country through that facility. The Federal Government does not permit that. You will not be cleared for take off or landing without prior request and authorisation.
“I thank the Member for his patriotism, but I wish he contacted us first to explain to him before rushing to move such a motion.
“I attach herewith for public consumption the NAMA Act that gives exclusive control of the Nigerian airspace to the Federal Government through NAMA.”
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