SAR of MH370 - Lesson Learnt

Noor Izhar BaharinDepartment of Civil Aviation, Malaysia

SCOPE

IntroductionMalaysian SAR

OrganisationSAR MH370International EffortChallengesLesson LearntConclusion

HISTORY OF THE FLIGHT

• At 00:41 LT (16:41UTC) on 8 March 2014, Saturday, a Boeing 777-2H6ER, registration 9M-MRO and call-sign MH 370, departed from runway 32 Right (32R) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Malaysia on a scheduled flight to Beijing, China.

• On board the aircraft were 2 flight crew, 10 cabin crew and 227 passengers (a total of 239 persons on board).

• MH370 was reported missing after passing waypoint IGARI while en-route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

WHAT HAPPENED?

SAR ORGANISATION

NATIONAL SAR COMMITTEE

TREASURY NATIONAL SEC. COUNCIL

ASSISTING SAR DEPTS & AGENCIES

Airforce Navy Pollice Fire and Rescue

MRCC/MRSCMRCC/MRSC ARCC/ARSCARCC/ARSC

MARITIME ENF. AGENCY DEPT OF CIVIL AVIATION (DCA)

M-SAR WORKING GROUP(CHAIRMAN : DG MMEA)

A-SAR WORKING GROUP(CHAIRMAN : DG DEPT CIVIL AVIATION)

MARITIME SAR (M-SARMARITIME SAR (M-SAR)) AERONAUTICAL SAR (A-SAR)AERONAUTICAL SAR (A-SAR)

CABINET

Marine Dept

SAR MH370

• SINGAPORE AIRSPACE (FIR)• IGARI – AIRSPACE

DELEGATED TO MALAYSIA• SAR RESPONSIBILITY –

SINGAPORE SRR• IGARI – TRANSFER POINT

BETWEEN KL/ HCM

FIRST PHASE : EAST & WEST OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

EAST (SECONDARY RADAR LAST KNOWN POSITION)

Search Area: 213,000 sqkm in the Eastern SCS.

Countries Involved Search:Malaysia, China, Singapore, Brunei,

Indonesia, USA, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippine

DAY 8 : 15 MAC 2014

WEST(PRIMARY RADAR LAST KNOWN POSITION)

Search Area : 4.56 million sqkm

Straits of Malacca, Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal, West of Sumatra

Countries Involved Search:Malaysia, China, Mynmar, Singapore, USA, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Korea 7

8 March

12 March

FIRST PHASE FIRST PHASE : TOTAL SEARCH AREA: TOTAL SEARCH AREA

• Northern search area = 4.8million sqkm;• Nations shared radar info and confirmed MH370 did not fly over their airspace.

8

SECOND FHASE

15th March 2014, based on the International Investigation Team experts report which consisted of INMARSAT, NTSB, AAIB, MAS and

DCA, Prime Minister announced that the SAR Operation on the Eastern and Western parts (First Phase) of Peninsular Malaysia will be

suspended. .

MH370 TRACK BASED ON ACARS, PRIMARY RADAR & SATELLITE DATA

SECOND PHASESECOND PHASE: : NORTHERN CORRIDOR

LAOS, VIETNAM, MYANMAR, CHINA, INDIA, PAKISTAN,

BANGLADESH, UZBEKISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYSTAN,

THAILAND, CAMBODIA,

NEPAL, TAJIKISTAN,

TURKMENISTAN,

LAND•Asset : Aircraft (Malaysia & International)•Satellite Tracking (USA, France, China, Australia)

Note : G – G Coordination, lead by MOFA

SECOND PHASESECOND PHASE: SOUTHERN INDIAN OCEAN: SOUTHERN INDIAN OCEAN

INDONESIA SRR

AUSTRALIA SRR

SEA•Vessel •Aircraft•Satellite (USA, France, China, Australia)

Note : G – G Coordination, lead by MOFA

INTERNATIONAL EFFORT

26 Countries involved Comprising 82 aircraft and 84 Vessels

INTERNATIONAL EFFORT INTERNATIONAL EFFORT

MAS CAREGIVERS

601 caregivers and volunteers to assist the family

members of passengers MH370.

700++ NOK’S

Status Update on Refinement Search Area

MH370 Search Strategy Working Group (SSWG)

• Based on International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue [IAMSAR] Manual

ICAO Annex 12, Search and Rescue

SAR : CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

CHALLENGES

WEATHER

NOK’S

MEDIA

CHALLENGES

•a)  Due to the complexity of the MH370 event, compounded with the absence of conventional data, such as aircraft last known position, altitude, speed, actual flight route to determine the correct datum, hindered the effectiveness of the SAR operations.

•b)  Absence of distress beacon detections.

• c)  The verification of the military radar data took longer than expected and this resulted in the KL ARCC initially conducting the search in the Eastern and Western areas of Peninsular Malaysia.

• d)  The insufficient number of adequately dedicated SAR personnel at the KL ARCC hampered the rostering of SAR personnel in the RCC over a prolonged period of time as all SAR personnel are air traffic controller rostered for operational duties at KL ATCC. At the same time, many SAR trained officers were also assigned tasks in ops room at various locations either at the main operations room, hotels in the city, and briefing to the Next of Kin other than training for KLIA2 opening.

CHALLENGES

e)  The outdated directory of SPOC within the Asia Pacific region as stated in ICAO documents delayed the transfer of information between the respective RCC’s.

f)  Incomplete detailed information made available to the KL ARCC on how certain search area was derived hampered fast action by other States, as they are acquiring this information to do their SAR operation.

• g)  The participation of numerous military organizations during the search required continuous detailed briefings to be given. This turned out to be a daunting task. The availability of a Liaison Officer from BASARNAS and AMSA at the KL ARCC ensured smoother coordination of the SAR operation.

• h) The lack of understanding on Annex 12 provision by many parties hampered RCC direction in the SAR operation

CHALLENGES

• Managing SAR involving multidiscipline, multinational parties, civil and military need a well structured organization supported by a legal framework

LESSON LEARNT/RECCOMENDATIONS

Establish requirements for real time global tracking of commercial aircraft;

Extend the transmission life of Underwater Locator Beacons installed in flight recorders on all commercial aircraft;

Increase recording time of Cockpit Voice Recorder beyond 120 minutes;

Review Air Traffic Control (ATC) procedures on handing over aircraft between FIRs.

Improve Civil/Military airspace coordination & communication.

Review Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

To establish a legal framework defining the roles and responsibilities of various agencies in supporting SAR operations

Handling of media;

To have good communication team; Written statement/text; Nominated spoke person; Statement to be transparent, verified and corroborated;

Handling NOK;

Set up NOK committee; Appoint special care-givers; Continuous updating progress; Understand emotion, cultural and belief;

LESSON LEARNT/RECCOMENDATIONS

There is more to SAR than flying missions

SAR needs:• regulation• legislation, • Structured Organisation • management • proper planning, • documentation and• effective coordination.

Conclusion

THANK YOU…