KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will deploy another Royal Malaysian Navy vessel, the KD Mutiara, on Aug 4, to join the search efforts of the missing MH370 flight, said Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.
Hishammuddin who was the acting Transport Minister during the incident said KD Mutiara which has the capabilities of the multi beam echo sounder will join the search efforts to assist in bathymetric survey process.
He added apart from KD Mutiara, Petronas together with DEFTECH and Phoenix International will deploy a Prosas Side Scan Sonar (Towed Synthetic Aperture Sonar) which will be mounted on a mother vessel.
Meanwhile Boustead Heavy Industries together with iXBlue Australia will be deploying a deep towed side scan sonar with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) mounted on the John Lethbridge vessel.
"The Prosas Side Scan Sonar and the deep towed side scan sonar with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) is expected to join the search efforts by mid Aug.
"The Bunga Mas 6 vessel which was deployed on Apr 20, will remain in the search area to assist in the search ," said Hishammudin in a press conference after launching the MH370 Photo Exhibition organised by the Foreign Correspondents Club of Malaysia (FCC) at the Publika Mall here today.
Also present were the newly appointed Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai,
Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Group Chief Executive Officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya and Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman.
Hishammuddin added the government is also doing all it can to ease the burden and help the family members of the missing passengers of MH370.
He had also expressed his regrets and disappointment of the reemergence of sensationalised and inaccurate news reporting on the MH370 tragedy.