Malaysian PM Najib Razak says committed to finding flight MH370

Kuala Lumpur, Jan 30: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has assured the families of all 239 people aboard Flight MH370 that Malaysia, together with Australia and China, remains committed to locate the aircraft that mysteriously vanished over the Indian Ocean nearly 11 months ago.

"Today my thoughts are with the families of those on MH370. The search will continue. Malaysia, Australia and China remain committed to finding the plane," Najib said in a post on his official Facebook page.

The disappearance of the Boeing 777-200 aircraft en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8 last year remains one of history's greatest unsolved aviation mysteries. Despite an international search operation, no trace of the missing aircraft has been found so far.

The search mission was initiated in the South China Sea and Andaman Sea before Razak announced on March 24 announced that the Flight had "ended in the southern Indian Ocean."

Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) yesterday declared the disappearance of the plane an accident in accordance with standard annexes 12 and 13 of the Chicago Convention. The announcement has paved the way for the kin of those on board the Flight to claim compensation. DCA director-general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman has also auured that the search for the missing plane would continue.

MH370 was declared officially lost on Jan 29 by officials

Meanwhile, Hindu Sangam Malaysia president Mohan Shan said the "Athama Shanti Pooja" for Hindu victims aboard MH370 must be held by their family members as a religious ritual. Malaysia's 28 million population includes 8 per cent ethnic Indians, mostly Tamil Hindus. Indians on board the plane were Chetna Kolekar, Swanand Kolekar, Suresh Kolekar, Chandrika Sharma and Prahlad Shirsatha.

Muslims throughout Malaysia have been urged to hold prayers for all passengers and crew members after Friday prayers today. The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general Othman Mustapha said in a statement that the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur and other mosques would hold the special Tahlil session after the Friday prayers.

PTI