Malaysia Airlines MH370: Report finds locator beacon on black box expired in 2012, no red flags raised over crew or aircraft

By South-East Asia correspondent Samantha Hawley, wires

Updated March 08, 2015 22:53:16

Search crews hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines plane

Photo: A report into the disappearance of flight MH370 has found the locator beacon on the plane's black box expired in 2012. (AFP: Hoang Dinh Nam)

Map: Malaysia

The battery powering the underwater locator beacon on missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370's data recorder expired in 2012, a report has found, but no red flags were raised relating to the crew or aircraft.

An international team of investigators probed a range of issues including the personal, psychological, and financial profiles of the captain and co-pilot, and the backgrounds of the 10 cabin crew.

The 600-page interim report, released on the first anniversary of the jet's disappearance, mentioned no findings that cast suspicion on the crew.

Investigators behind the report studied the pilots on CCTV recordings on the day of the flight and on three previous flights and observed no significant behavioural changes.

"There were no behavioural signs of social isolation, change in habits or interest, self-neglect, drug or alcohol abuse of the captain, first officer and the cabin crew," the report said.

The report also found the battery powering the underwater locator beacon on the plane's flight data recorder was due to expire in December 2012, and there was no evidence to suggest it had been replaced.

However, the battery on the plane's cockpit voice recorder had been replaced and was due to expire in June last year.

It noted that while batteries could still operate past their official expiry they could lose effectiveness, calling it an "oversight".

The report said the airline blamed a problem in computer systems that tracked equipment updates and that it had subsequently carried out a fleet-wide inspection to make sure records were accurate.

It also said that civilian radar had tracked the plane for a short time after it diverted on March 8, 2014.

Previous Malaysian statements had indicated that only its military radar had monitored the plane.

Plane airworthy at time of disappearance

The report found the aircraft was airworthy at the time it went missing, and noted nothing alarming was seen in a number of the plane's mechanical systems according to available data and maintenance records.

Suspicion had fallen on the cockpit crew of pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah and his co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, with other theories including a mechanical problem or hijack.

The report was focused on air safety issues related to MH370. Investigators did not probe the 227 passengers or the possibility of a hijack.

Families of passengers onboard missing flight MH370 remember one year on

Photo: Catherine Gang, whose husband Li Zhi was onboard MH370, takes part in a gathering of family members of missing passengers in Beijing to mark one year since the airliner disappeared. (Reuters: Kim Kyung-Hoon)

It stressed the investigation was ongoing and that "new information that may become available may alter this information".

"The investigation team expects that further factual information will be available from the wreckage and flight recorders if the aircraft is found," the report said.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER disappeared on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board on March 8, 2014.

Earlier, Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak said the country remained committed to the search for the missing airliner and said he was hopeful it would be found.

"The disappearance of MH370 is without precedent, and so too is the search - by far the most complex and technically challenging in aviation history," he said in a statement.

"Together with our international partners, we have followed the little evidence that exists. Malaysia remains committed to the search, and hopeful that MH370 will be found."

Governments vow to help families find answers

The plane is believed to have flown thousands of kilometres off course before eventually crashing into the Indian Ocean.

Some of the relatives of those on board the plane have been holding vigils this weekend to mark the anniversary.

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Did you know a plane's black box is not black? Find out more here.

In Beijing, police scuffled with some family members offering prayers at a temple as they tried to talk to foreign reporters.

"I can't sleep at night, each night I'm only getting about two hours, but I'm certain that my daughter is still alive and I'm going to get her back," one mother said.

Family members have previously described harassment by police, who were nervous about any threats to social stability.

The Chinese government, however, said it would provide whatever help it could to the relatives and offered its sympathies on the anniversary.

China's foreign minister said the search for the aircraft would not stop.

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss recently said the search could not go on forever, and discussions were underway between Australia, China and Malaysia as to whether to call off it off soon.

Malaysia declared the disappearance of the flight an accident in January, clearing the way for the airline to pay compensation to victims' relatives, but insisted that the search for the jetliner would go on.

In a separate statement, Malaysia Airlines said it held a private gathering to remember the 13 employees lost when the plane disappeared.

ABC/wires