Malaysian transport minister defends airworthiness of QZ8501

Malaysian transport minister defends airworthiness of QZ8501

Malaysia's Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai downplayed concerns over the safety record of the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai on Monday (Dec 29) defended the airworthiness of the missing flight QZ8501, operated by AirAsia Indonesia.

The aircraft manufacturer Airbus said the plane had averaged more than six flights a day since it began service in 2008. The six-year-old Airbus A320 plane had been described as hardworking by its manufacturer. It had recorded 23,000 flight hours since it began service.

But Mr Liow was not alarmed and downplayed concerns over the flight safety record of the country's airlines.

"I can see its airworthiness is good, we are confident they have all capabilities to face any storm,” he said.

It has been a rough year for the airline industry in Malaysia. The flag carrier Malaysia Airlines lost two planes earlier this year. MH370 went missing in March en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board. Later in July, MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 on board.

But budget carrier AirAsia, including its affiliates, never had a fatal crash since it began operations in 2002. It said Irwianto, the pilot in command of QZ8501, is no rookie, with a total of over 20,000 flying hours.

Still, investor confidence was shaken, sending the company's share price tumbling more than 12 per cent at one point on Monday.

Malaysia has sent three vessels and three aircraft to help comb an area of 11,000 square nautical miles in east Belitung. Indonesia is in charge of the search operation.

- CNA/xq

- wong chee tat :)