MH370: Malaysia's civil aviation chief resigns over failings during disappearance of plane

Air traffic control shortcomings highlighted in new report

The head of Malaysia’s civil aviation authority has resigned to take responsibility for shortcomings during flight MH370‘s disappearance.

The passenger jet disappeared with 239 people on board en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on 8 March 2014.

In a statement announcing his resignation, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said a new report released on Monday had highlighted failures by air traffic control to comply with standard operating procedures, but had not suggested the aviation authority was to blame for the loss of the aircraft.

“Therefore, it is with regret and after much thought and contemplation that I have decided to resign as the chairman of civil aviation authority of Malaysia effective 14 days from the date of the resignation notice which I have served today,” he said in the statement.

Monday’s report highlighted mistakes made by Kuala Lumpur air traffic control. It said controllers failed to initiate standard emergency phases, and that there was no record that they took any action to alert the air force or kept a continuous watch on the radar display.

Investigators said the controls of the Boeing 777 aircraft were likely deliberately manipulated to take it off course but they were unable to determine who was responsible.

The document was prepared by a 19-member international team.

“We cannot exclude that there was an unlawful interference by a third party” such as the pilots being held hostage, said Kok Soo Chon, head of the MH370 safety investigation team.

Mr Kok said investigators did not believe the disappearance was orchestrated by the pilots, while cautioning that definitive answers could only come if and when the jet’s wreck was finally located.

So far only fragments have washed ashore, and two massive searches of the ocean have been called off.

New Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke said the government has formed a committee to investigate and take action against any misconduct based on the report findings.

The report said there was insufficient information to determine if the aircraft broke up in the air or during impact with the ocean.