KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan believes that the discovery of the missing black box in the Double Six tragedy could shed light on what truly happened.
"Where is the black box?" asked Kitingan who is also state Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister after attending the commemoration of the 47th anniversary of the Double Six tragedy at Sembulan here.
Despite the declassified report mentioning that the ill-fated aircraft was not equipped with a black box to record the flight events, Kitingan strongly believes that every plane should be equipped with a black box.
Even though the reports have been released and indicated there was no foul play, he said there were still many questions left unanswered.
He said the delay in disclosing the reports also raised concerns about why it was classified under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) in the first place.
"Because of that, the people of Sabah are still doubtful and waiting for the answers," he said.
"I hope that one day this whole thing will be resolved. I don't believe that the black box cannot be found, especially considering the accident occurred nearby (in Sembulan).
"I think it is not very difficult to locate the black box. It should have been inside the plane at that time, so who took the black box," he asked.
However, he said it was entirely up to the victims' families to request the relevant authorities for information to find the black box while the state government will provide the necessary support.
"As we mark 47 years since the accident, on behalf of the state government, I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims. May their souls rest in peace," he said.
The plane crash on June 6, 1976, killed 11 passengers, including the then Sabah chief minister Tun Fuad Stephens.