Malaysia releases MH370 transcript, 'nothing abnormal'


Kuala Lumpur, Apr 1 (Agencies) : Malaysian authorities on Tuesday released the full transcript of communications between the pilots of missing Flight MH370 and air traffic controllers, saying the exchanges showed nothing unusual.

"There is no indication of anything abnormal in the transcript," a statement by Defence and Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said.

The 43 separate transmissions over nearly 54 minutes are thick with air-traffic and navigational jargon and give no hint of trouble aboard the ill-fated plane, which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 with 239 people aboard.

The transcript concludes with Malaysian air traffic control first bidding MH370 "good night", as it instructs the pilots next to contact controllers in Vietnam, over which the plane was due to fly.

The final entry from just after 1:19 am comes from one of the two MH370 pilots, who says "good night, Malaysian three seven zero".

The plane disappeared from radar shortly thereafter and is yet to be found, though Malaysia now believes it was deliberately diverted and flew on for hours to the Indian Ocean, where it is presumed to have crashed.

The transcript -- and particularly the final words from MH370 -- have been the subject of much speculation following earlier statements by authorities and the airline that the last transmission from the plane was a casual "All right, good night".

That apparent non-standard sign-off fuelled speculation that one of the pilots -- either Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, or First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27 -- diverted the plane on purpose.

Under pressure to clarify the matter, the government corrected the final words late on Monday but until now had not released a full transcript.

Tuesday's statement said the transcript was "initially held as part of the police investigation", but gave no other reason for the delay.

Malaysia Airlines had said previously that the last words were believed uttered by First Officer Fariq, but the statement said the ongoing investigation was yet to confirm that.

  

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Comment on this article

  • prakash, Mangalore

    Wed, Apr 02 2014

    11. If as an assumption, there was some problem in flight & the crew chose best to land at some airport before giving the distress call and if Transponders and ACARS got off due to this problem. And if the crew members got knocked unconscious due to oxygen starvation and Autopilot was on which could take the plane 7 hrs nonstop until the fuel ran out. Can someone tell how could auto pilot maintain the course corrections? Deviations of headings?
    12. Question: if it’s not a co-incidence who would best know when to switch off the Transponder, how would someone know the plane's location where there is a Radar overlap (handing over from one country to other) and to switch off ACARS?
    Can any of the passengers or terrorist sitting in back seat know the exact location of the plane looks not possible.
    Looks to be more mysterious crash of the era. Either some data is missing to interpret properly or this is a new problem occurred where no one knew this would happen in Aviation history!
    If so much has happened could CVR be off as well? (Due to power failure or intentional) Perhaps FDR will be crucial. Hope they find and mystery may be solved for the grieving relatives and other flyers who are worried.

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  • Af, mangalore

    Wed, Apr 02 2014

    what does mean "All right, good night". are pilots went to sleep?
    why good night?
    more ever communication is switched off, why there is a switching off device at plane? not understanding at all.
    technology can reach upto mars then what is the defficulty finding a plane which is just fly for hours from earth?

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • prakash, Mangalore

    Wed, Apr 02 2014

    Thank you for the nice write up, I have following Questions.
    1. Terrorism: How could the terrorist get an access to the sterile cockpit? Why no ransomed asked?
    2. Fire on the board / Sudden Explosion: Possible the transponder can go off, ACARS can go off. But difficult to go off at different time & why there is no Pan Pan Pan if fire? (Example Swiss Air 111). Even if Radios are consumed by fire. Then how can the Plane fly for 7 hrs by then the fire will consume the plane or Auto pilot may disengage.
    3. Bad Weather, iceing: The met dept say the weather was good no chance of pitot tube icing as in case of Air france 447.No storms etc.
    4. Mechanical Failure: Control problems, then why not pan pan /May day? Why turn off the Transponders & ACARs.B777 are one of the most reliable and technological advance aircraft in the world.
    5. Enemy shooting Down (mistaken identity) : ACARS & Transponders should go off simultaneously. Plane cannot fly for 7 hrs, if it could then Why not may day or pan pan.
    6. Hijacking: No motive asked. Again sterile cock pit, no pan pan / May day, no calls from Phone from passengers.
    7. One or both Crew member involvement: If one was involved, at least there may be struggle. If the cockpit door is locked the other crew member may have the password, or at least communicated from the phones or from Satellite phones? Again what is the motive? Why would they fly 7 hrs if they wanted to commit suicide? And with so many people on board?
    8. Could the plane land on remote island & country: Possible but difficult for B777 without trace, will have to cross so many radars. What’s the motive? How can all people switch off phones or be out of range.
    9. Could the plane ditch intact in water & sink: Possible like Hudson river landing, but to remain intact in one piece on the ocean with the high waves without breaking up after running out of fuel Is difficult!
    10. Decompression/ Oxygen starvation: If there was some case of decompression (due to door opening, Oxygen

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  • S.S.D'Souza, Udupi

    Tue, Apr 01 2014

    There's certainly something wrong with the Malaysian govt. Either they are totally confused by the disappearance of MH 370 or they are hiding something, which is why they are coming up with new stories every now & then.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rudolf, Mumbai

    Tue, Apr 01 2014

    Definitely something is very fishy when such indigestible contradictory statements are being made everyday increasing the anxiety and distress of those who were there on the ill fated flight!!

    The question is how can such a big modern jetliner fly for more than 4 hours going undetected by any of the civilian or military surveillance systems of various countries and even the top intelligence agencies who can detect even a big fart, IMPOSSIBLE!!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Apr 01 2014

    Flight MH370 was deliberately diverted and flew for 5 hours in the Indian Ocean.
    Audacity of Malaysian Government to say nothing abnormal. Bloody FEKU Government...

    DisAgree [8] Agree [41] Reply Report Abuse


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