- India asked to join hunt for missing plane as authorities unsure which way jet was headed
- There is still no trace of the Boeing 7-77 that disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239 people on board.
- The mystery over the plane’s whereabouts has been confounded by confusing statements by Malaysian officials suggesting that the jetliner may or may not have deviated from its scheduled flight path
NEW DELHI – Malaysia has asked for India’s assistance in searching for the missing Boeing 777 jetliner to widen the search to an area near the Andaman Sea, an Indian official said Wednesday.
Malaysian authorities contacted their Indian counterparts Tuesday seeking help in searching areas near the Andaman for the Malaysia Airlines plane, said Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin.
READ MORE: Without a trace: Mysterious aviation disappearances
“This is a new development,” Akbaruddin said, referring to the search extending to the Andaman Sea, north of the Strait of Malacca. “The two sides were working out what specifics they want, and what we can assist in.”
The jet was heading from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing with 239 people aboard when it went missing early Saturday.
Air force says jet may have turned back
The missing jetliner may have attempted to turn back before it vanished from radar, but there is no evidence it reached the Strait of Malacca, the country’s air force chief said Wednesday, denying reported remarks he said otherwise.
Air force chief Gen. Rodzali Daud was quoted as saying in local media report Tuesday that the military had radar data showing the plane had turned back from its original course, crossed the country and made it to the Strait of Malacca to the west of Malaysia. The Associated Press contacted a high-level military official, who confirmed the remarks.
In a statement, Daud denied saying the remarks, and referred to a statement he made March 9 in which he said the air force has “not ruled out the possibility of an air turn back” and said search and rescue efforts had been expanded in this regard.
India asked to join hunt for missing plane
Dozens of ships and planes searching waters have failed to turn up anything, prompting officials to expand the hunt. Malaysia asked India to join the search for the missing jet in waters near the Andaman Sea – far to the northwest of its last reported position.
Malaysian authorities had contacted their Indian counterparts seeking help in searching areas near the Andaman Sea, India’s ministry of external affairs spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said.
Interpol releases image of 2 Iranians on missing plane
Interpol says it seems unlikely that two men who boarded the missing Malaysian Airlines plane with stolen passports were terrorists.
An official says it appears the two Iranian men — who used their own passports to get to Malaysia before switching documents for the flight to Beijing — were seeking asylum in Europe.
Citing national authorities, Interpol named the two as Seyed Mohammed Reza Delavar, 29, and Pouria Nourmohammadi. Malaysian authorities say Nourmohammadi is 19, although Interpol’s information indicated an age of 18.
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