Bunker fuel, not aircraft fuel: MMEA

KUALA LUMPUR: An oil slick found about 100 nautical miles off Teluk Bali here yesterday was found to be bunker fuel and not that of aircraft, said the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
MMEA Eastern Region enforcement chief Datuk Nasir Adam said this was attested by an analysis on a sample of the oil slick carried out by the Chemistry Department.
Bunker fuel, a liquid fuel fractionally distilled from crude oil, is used by ships and not aircraft, he told reporters here today.
Meanwhile, he said the MMEA would widen its search and rescue operation for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane in the South China Sea.
He said the MMEA operation which entered the third day and covered 1,500 nautical miles today failed to find any indications on the missing plane.
The MMEA mobilised a CL415 Bombardier aircraft and five vessels - KM Langkawi, KM Segantang, KM Jujur, KM Sebatik, and KM Amanah in the operation.
The joint operation along with a flotilla of ships from other countries has so far covered 7,656 nautical miles in the Exclusive Economic Zone in the South China Sea.
MAS Flight MH370 went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing after taking off from KLIA at 12.41 am on Saturday. It should have landed in Beijing at 6.30am. – Bernama