Missing plane puzzle remains unsolved

Frequent changes in information and miscommunication have compounded concerns, report Peng Yining in Kuala Lumpur, and Hu Yongqi and Wang Wen in Beijing.

The Klang Valley, comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, is blanketed in haze, mainly caused by open peat fires. Even after shutting the windows and blocking the gaps below and around the door, the choking smog permeates the room. The high level of airborne pollution has seen local schools closed all week.

But the smoky air blurring the outline of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers seems particularly appropriate at the moment. The ongoing search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is still shrouded in a mystery far thicker than the clouds of pollution that hang over the Malaysian capital.

In addition to the lack of progress, the frequent changes of information and miscommunication have made the fog of uncertainty even thicker.

Since the Beijing-bound plane, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, went missing on March 8, the Malaysian authorities' statements concerning the jet's direction and a reported turnaround have been inconsistent, and the reported time of the plane's last contact has also changed repeatedly.

Video stills of two Iranian men traveling on stolen passports came under fire after observers pointed out that the bottom halves of the men's bodies were identical. When challenged, an official from the Malaysian immigration department admitted that the still had been altered - with the lower parts having been copied and pasted - but he said the authorities didn't have a problem with this "as long as the upper parts and the faces are clear".

Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak said at a media briefing on Friday that based on radar evidence, one aircraft - the identity of which could not be confirmed - had turned back. Meanwhile, possible locations of the missing plane now stretch from the southern border of Kazakhstan to northern Thailand, and to an area near Jakarta in Indonesia to the Indian Ocean, all points far from the initial search area in the South China Sea.

"We followed every credible lead. Sometimes these leads have led nowhere," Razak said.

"We followed every credible lead. Sometimes these leads have led nowhere," Prime Minister Najib Razak said.

'Time is life'

China's Foreign Ministry has asked the Malaysian authorities to provide more complete and accurate information. "It's now been eight days and the plane is still missing," ministry spokesman Qin Gang said after the briefing. "Time is life."

A Chinese delegation, which had an official meeting with the Malaysian authorities on March 12, also requested that Kuala Lumpur improve the efficiency of its communications.

"The frequent changes of information have put people affected by the incident on an emotional rollercoaster," said Guo Shaochun, the leader of the Chinese delegation. "In addition to search and rescue, effective communications is a top priority for us."

Mohamed Hatta Shaharm, a Kuala Lumpur-based psychiatrist, said the rumors and miscommunication are psychologically damaging to the families and friends of those aboard the missing plane.

Li Xuefeng, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance in Beijing who specializes in emergency management, said: "The Malaysian authorities haven't done a good job in terms of communication, which is one of the main reasons for the current chaos."

He said the Malaysian side hasn't disclosed enough clear information, and the paucity of hard facts has fuelled anxiety and fear. "In the first few days after the flight went missing, communications between the Malaysia Airlines and the military were poor. The emergency operations center was also set up too late," he said. "Before they had even organized a team to investigate the technological details of the incident, rumors had started to spread and the authorities have struggled to cope with the questions raised by the media."

A senior captain from a Chinese airline said that the chaos is the result of confused messages from Malaysia.

"Even after eight days, we still don't even know exactly when air traffic control lost contact with the flight," said the pilot, who declined to be named. He added that there may have been a breakdown in communications between the airline and the authorities in Kuala Lumpur.

Confusing information

Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia's acting minister of transportation, defended the work of the authorities and said the information flow has been confusing. "The changes are the result of new information coming in on a daily basis. A lot of the contradictory information didn't come from our team," he told China Daily. "We have held media conferences every day and we want the public to know that we are rebutting false information every day."

Meanwhile, rumors are still spreading, especially among members of the media. Much of the early reportage has been disproved, including the news about potential debris found floating in the South China Sea and suggestions that some of the plane's crew may have had mental health issues.

The Malaysian authorities hold 30-minute media briefings every afternoon, although they are frequently delayed and occasionally canceled outright. The speakers include high-ranking officials from Malaysia Airlines and the Malaysian government.

Friday's briefing, hosted by Prime Minister Najib Razak, was broadcast live on television and the families of the 154 missing Chinese passengers watched it at their hotels in Beijing and Kuala Lumpur.

"More than 100 people are working for the 25 Chinese families in Kuala Lumpur," Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, chief executive officer of Malaysia Airlines, told China Daily. "We are not only taking care of their stay in our country but also keeping them informed about the latest updates."

Li Xuefeng, the emergency-management professor, said the missing plane is a crisis for Malaysia Airlines and also the government. "Malaysia can't deal with this situation without cooperating with other countries. So, transparency of information and efficient communications are crucial for the search," he said.

He said the usual practice after such an incident is to quickly define the chain of command, establishing who is in charge of evaluating the situation and making decisions. In Li's opinion, the Malaysian authorities have fallen behind at every step.

"Of course, the Malaysian authorities have done many things right, including flying the families of the Chinese passengers to Kuala Lumpur and taking care of them. They have the right attitude to work out this problem. Unfortunately, they didn't make the line of leadership clear earlier. More important, they need to adjust their actions according to the fast-changing situation," he said.

Shaharm the psychiatrist has volunteered to help the families. Every day he and dozens of trained psychological counselors talk with the family members and listen to their fears.

"People don't like uncertainty. They only feel safe when they know what is really going on," he said. "This inconsistency is hurting the families all over again. Usually when a tragedy occurs, especially when the situation isn't clear, people feel distressed, and what we do is listen to their feelings," he said. "So far they are doing well. They are very brave. The flight between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing never stops for them."

He urged the Malaysian government to provide accurate information and called on the media to be objective and responsible and not publish unverified stories and rumors.

Confused messages

Muhd Akif Abdullah, a 34-year-old local resident, said he flies with Malaysia Airlines frequently. "I've been paying close attention to this issue, but have found the information issued by the authorities to be confusing," he said. "Their announcements are disjointed and change constantly. Some officials can't even speak fluent English at the media briefings."

He has now stopped watching the official media briefings and has turned to the international media instead. "This incident has revealed a lot of problems, including the government's inability to provide clear, accurate information. They are supposed to be more professional."

Tiffanie Osswalt, a reporter for France's BFM TV, said the Malaysian government's messages have been inconsistent. "The authorities change their statements every day, and we don't know which story to believe," she said, adding that she expected communications to improve in the wake of Najib Razak's media conference.

"Still, we journalists should verify our sources before we publish any information," she said. "This is a mysterious incident, and as reporters we have to say something every day. However, still we shouldn't spread rumors, despite the lack of real progress."

Family members of the missing Chinese passengers watched the prime minister's press conference at a hotel in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur. They also complained about poor communications.

"There are so many changes every day, but I am worried the flow of information won't help to find the plane, or may even result in them looking in the wrong place," said a woman who declined to give her name.

Although the family is staying at a four-star resort, the choking smog obscured the leafy vista and the sky was gray. Occasionally, ashes from burning bushes were carried by the wind and landed in the hotel gardens.

"Everything is blurred. We can't see through the dense fog surrounding this situation," she said.

Contact the writers at pengyining@chinadaily.com.cn, huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn and wangwen@chinadaily.com.cn