MH370: Liow rubbishes reports of 'controlled ditching' by aircraft pilot

PUTRAJAYA: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai has dismissed reports which claimed that Malaysia Airlines MH370 was deliberately brought down into the ocean.

He said there is no evidence to show that the aircraft pilot, Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, had intentionally brought down the aircraft.

"In light of recent news reports which suggested a 'controlled ditch' theory on the crash of MH370, there has been no evidence to prove the pilot had intentionally brought down the plane into the southern Indian Ocean," he told reporters today.

He said the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which led the team of experts in locating the search area which covered 120,000 square kilometres, had reported that it was an 'uncontrolled ditch'.

"So this will negate the controlled ditch theory," Liow added.

Speaking on data recovered from Captain Zaharie's simulator, which allegedly showed a plotted course to the southern Indian Ocean, Liow said it was one of thousands of courses found on the pilot's simulator.

"The plot to the southern Indian Ocean is one of the points on the simulator but that doesn't prove that Captain Zaharie had piloted MH370 down in the area. There is no evidence to prove this," he said.

Liow said the simulator was used by Captain Zaharie to test flights to many destinations via a 'trial and error' process.

"Although the simulator showed the last point was the southern Indian Ocean, we can't take it as firm evidence," he added.

Last Friday, ATSB commissioner Greg Hood reiterated that the view from satellite data from the Boeing 777 jet suggested it was plunging at almost 400 kilometres per hour just before it crashed into the sea with 239 passengers and crew.

He also said this meant no one was in control of the jet.

Liow urged the public not to speculate as allegations such as these could hamper the investigation.

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