No inquiry needed into MH370 search, says Minister responsible Darren Chester

THE fruitless search for the MH370 plane seems set to go unchallenged with the Minister responsible for the operation ruling out any inquiry.

EXCLUSIVE

THERE is unlikely to be any inquiry into the MH370 plane search when it is completed later this year, even if nothing is found.

Federal Transport and Infrastructure Minister Darren Chester said he had no intention of requesting an inquiry examining how the $180 million search was carried out — despite international criticism of the expertise and equipment of contracted company Fugro.

Malaysia's Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai (C), Australia's Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester (L) and Chinese Minister of Transport Yang Chuantang (R) shake hands after a joint press conference of the Ministerial Tripartite Meeting on the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 at the Malaysian federal administrative centre in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur on June 22, 2016. Hopes of finding flight MH370's final resting place are "fading", and the three-nation search will be suspended if nothing is found in the suspected crash zone, Malaysia, Australia and China announced on July 22. / AFP PHOTO / MOHD RASFAN

Mr Chester said he shared families’ desire for answers in relation to the baffling disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines’ flight and its 239 passengers and crew on March 8, 2014.

And he was confident the search had been “conducted with the highest standards of Australian Public Service governance and probity”.

“There has been full transparency throughout the search process,” Minister Chester said.

“In addition to the evidence provided by senior ATSB staff responsible for the search at regular Senate Committee hearings, there have been regular audits conducted by independent auditors throughout the course of the program.”

MH370 PILOT PLOTTED FLIGHT OVER INDIAN OCEAN ON SIMULATOR

CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT: MH370 PILOT MAY HAVE BROUGHT DOWN PLANE

CORRECTION - This undated handout photo released by the Australia Transport Safety Bureau on July 20, 2016 shows Malaysian and Australian investigators in Canberra examining a piece of aircraft debris found on Pemba Island off the coast of Tanzania. Transport ministers from Australia, China and Malaysia will meet July 22, 2016 to discuss the future of the frustrating deep-sea search for missing flight MH370, officials said July 20. / AFP PHOTO / ATSB / Handout / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / AUSTRALIA TRANSPORT SAFETY BUREAU" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS == NO ARCHIVE / “The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Australia Transport Safety Bureau has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: adding CANBERRA as location. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”

Among the search critics have been former French Naval Officer Paul-Henry Nargeolet who was hired to help find Air France flight 447 in the Atlantic Ocean.

He said Fugro did not have the experience for such a specialised search, and Australian taxpayers should be “mad” to see their money spent like that.

US firm Williamson and Associates also raised concerns 100 per cent sea floor coverage was not being achieved by Fugro’s sonar equipment. The company was among those that unsuccessfully bid to carry out the MH370 search.

Mr Chester said all the sonar data gathered in the course of the 120,000 square kilometre search would be publicly released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.

Waves crash over the back deck of Fugro discover as she continues in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. *** Local Caption *** Fugro Discover continues the seabed search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the Southern Indian Ocean.

A “comprehensive report” on all aspects of the search would also be made public when the operation ended in late December.

“This is in addition to the search area definition and debris analysis reports which have been released periodically throughout the search,” said Mr Chester.

ATSB Chief Commissioner Greg Hood said he was prepared to front a Senate Inquiry into the MH370 search, should one be held.

“We have nothing to hide and have kept families completely informed about every development, every step of the way,” said Commissioner Hood.

Last week, the ATSB revealed it was planning the next phase of the search based on revised drift modelling using replica flaperons in the Southern Indian Ocean.

It is hoped the modelling may provide the evidence needed to continue the search beyond the current priority zone.

Minister Chester said at this stage the plan was to suspend the search “pending any further credible evidence leading to the specific location of MH370”.

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