MORE INVOLVEMENT: Govt mulls deploying more autonomous underwater vehicles

KUALA LUMPUR: MALAYSIAN authorities are looking into the possibility of deploying more autonomous underwater ve- hicles (AUVs) to intensify the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in a Twitter post that the Deployment of Assets Committee, led by Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, was mulling deploying more assets in the southern Indian Ocean.

 

“Rahim’s committee is looking into the possibility of deploying more AUVs. (Jean-Paul Troadec’s) experience with the Air France search has helped,” he tweeted.

The committee is working with foreign experts, including the Australian Joint Agency Coordination Centre, which is heading the search.

Hishammuddin said he would be meeting all three ministerial committees this weekend. Beside the assets committee, they included the Next-of Kin Committee, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin; and Technical Committee, led by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi.

The government had announced the establishment of the three committees on April 5 to strengthen the search efforts.

Hishammuddin said Hamzah’s committee would be going to Beijing and Perth next week.

-NST