KUALA LUMPUR
A report released by an international investigation team on the anniversary of Malaysia Airline Flight MH370’s disappearance has revealed that the battery of a black box underwater locator beacon had expired 14 months before the tragedy.
The nearly 600-page report discovered no other irregularities regarding the engine, maintenance, cargo or crew members of the flight that went missing with 239 people on board March 8, 2014.
According to the interim report cited by The Star newspaper Sunday, maintenance records indicated the battery of the beacon attached to the flight data recorder had expired in December 2012.
However, the battery on the locator beacon of the other black box – the cockpit voice recorder -- was in operation, the “Factual Information Safety Investigation for MH370” said.
"There is some extra margin in the design to account for battery life variabilty and ensure that the unit will meet the minimum requirement," it added.
The leader of the 19-member team, Datuk Kok Soo Chon, appeared on televised broadcast and said, "the sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the prevention of future accidents or incidents."
Other than the beacon battery, no other irregularities were found in terms of the Boeing 777’s mechanical factors, including its engine functions.
Details regarding the flight’s crew also did not raise any red flags, with none having major disciplinary records.
"There were no behavioural signs of social isolation, change in habits or interest, self-neglect, drug or alcohol abuse of the Captain, First Officer and the Cabin Crew," the report said.
The gross monthly income and out-of-pocket expenses of the 12 crewmembers also revealed no unusual patterns.
A cargo of lithium-ion batteries loaded onto the plane also did not raise suspicion and was not put through additional security screening, according to the report, which said that Malaysia Airline delivered 99 shipments of such batteries to Beijing between January and May last year.
Kok said the report was prepared based off air traffic control recordings, aircraft maintenance records, simulator sessions to reconstruct the flight’s operation, and interviews with more than 120 people.
The team had visited cargo operators, officials in lithium battery transport, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and air traffic centers in Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
The report, however, appeared to contradict earlier Malaysian statements that its military radar alone had tracked the plane, by saying that civilian radar had also monitored it briefly following its diversion from the route.
The team was set up by Malaysia under International Civil Aviation Organisation requirements stipulating that findings be submitted within one year of a flight’s disappearance, and its report covers the probe up to March 7, 2015.
Kok was quoted by national news agency Bernama as saying: "In the months ahead, the investigation team will need to analyze to draw conclusions and safety recommendations based on the factual information that have been gathered.”
He expressed the team’s expectations that more factual information would become available if the aircraft were found, and its wreckage and flight recorders examined.
