MH370: Missing sonar detector will not hamper search

KUALA LUMPUR: The loss of its sonar detector has not hampered the search for missing Flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean, said Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai (pix).
He said the search is still on-going with four vessels in the search area.
"We were informed that one of the sonar detectors had fallen into the sea. But we are confident that the team will be able to recover it," he said.
In late January, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) issued a statement that the deep-water detector, had "collided with a mud volcano which rises 2,200 metres from the seafloor", causing the device and some 4,500 metres of cable to fall onto the sea floor.
"We have completed the first phase of the search, which is 60,000 sq km of (the seabed of the Indian Ocean).
"We are now moving towards the second phase to cover another 60,000 sq km of the search area," he said.
Liow reiterated that Malaysia, China and Australia are committed to searching for the aircraft which went missing along with 289 people onboard, on March 8, 2014, while en route to Beijing.
Earlier, Liow had distributed goodie bags to passengers travelling back via KTM's Electric Train Service (ETS) for the Chinese New Year celebrations at KL Sentral this morning.
When asked about the ministry's response to the Zika virus alert, Liow said that his ministry is working with the Health Ministry and Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to be on higher alert at the airports.
"We will increase the number of ministry staff at the airports to screen passengers, especially those travelling from infected countries, suspected of carrying the virus," he said.
Liow also advised the public travelling to any of the 26 countries infected by the virus to be wary and to take precautionary measures.