Though Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has announced that the missing Malaysian Airlines planes crashed in the Indian Ocean, the multinational task force scouring the seas will continue with its task, in which India will continue to play a role.
India joined the international search for the Malaysian Airlines with its two Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft conducting 10-hour sorties each after taking off from a Royal Malaysian Air Force base on Monday.
“Since the announcement of Mr. Najib an hour ago, I have spoken to all the close relatives of the five Indian passengers on board MH 370. As you can imagine, it’s a very difficult time for them,” said Indian High Commissioner in Malaysia T.S. Tirumurti. “As regards our two aircraft in Subang Airport, Malaysia, we are continuing to assist the Malaysians in their task of locating the aircraft and our crew is fully committed to the task on hand.”
The sophisticated planes, acquired recently from the U.S., carried out extensive Search and Rescue Mission in the Southern Corridor as part of the International Search and Rescue Mission. “Both aircraft carried out nearly 10 hour sorties each, despite prospects of bad weather and cyclonic conditions enroute,” said an official statement.
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) in Malaysia is coordinating the International Search and Rescue Operations for the multinational task force that is operating from the Subang Air Base. Upon completion of the mission, the aircraft were received by Mr. Tirumurti and the RMAF Subang Base Commander Brig Gen Manaf.
