Malaysian police say MH370 mystery may never be solved

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Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar (centre) warns that authorities may never learn what caused the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370. — Reuters picKUALA LUMPUR, April 2 ― Malaysia's top police official warned today that authorities may never learn what caused the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370, as he indicated a three-week-old criminal investigation has so far been inconclusive.

“Give us more time,” Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters in Kuala Lumpur, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

“We may not even know the real cause of this incident.”

The sober assessment is unlikely to go down well with anxious family members of the missing passengers, especially Chinese relatives who have fiercely attacked Malaysia's government and the airline as incompetent “liars” and “murderers”.

Two thirds of the 227 passengers were Chinese.

Malaysian police have said they were investigating the backgrounds of all 239 people on board the Malaysia Airlines jet, who included 12 crew members, as well as ground crew and flight engineers.

In the Gallery

Able Seaman Boatswains Mate Rory Dow signals the sighting of a floating object from aboard a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat deployed from the Australian Navy ship the HMAS Success in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force April 2, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Crew member Koji Kubota (left) of the Japan Coast Guard and John Pumpa of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) look out an observation window aboard the Japan Coast Guard Gulfstream V aircraft April 1, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Kojiro Tanaka, Head of the Japan Coast Guard mission, points to briefing notes regarding the search of MH370 aboard the Japan Coast Guard Gulfstream V aircraft, April 1, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Australian Navy ship HMAS Toowoomba is seen from the Japan Coast Guard Gulfstream V aircraft as it flies over the southern Indian Ocean as they look for debris from missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 April 1, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Pilot Makoto Hoshi looks at his notes as he flies the Japan Coast Guard Gulfstream V aircraft over the southern Indian Ocean looking for debris from missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 April 1, 2014. ― Reuters pic
Relatives of passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 remain in a briefing room after attending a video conference with the Malaysian government and Malaysia Airlines officials from Kuala Lumpur, at the Lido Hotel in Beijing April 2, 2014. ― Reuters pic
The Australian Navy ship the HMAS Success is seen during the continuing search in the southern Indian Ocean for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 in this picture released by the Australian Defence Force April 2, 2014. — Reuters pic

Their criminal probe has focused on the possibility of a hijacking, sabotage or psychological problems among passengers or crew.

Khalid said police had recorded more than 170 statements so far.

“This investigation is ongoing. There are still more people we need to interview,” he said, declining to provide further details while the probe was under way.

The Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8 shortly after take-off on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The flight's captain, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, and First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, have come under particularly scrutiny as Malaysia believes the plane was deliberately diverted by someone on board.

But no evidence has emerged to suggest a motive by either of the men, who appear to have been well-regarded by their peers.

Malaysian police and FBI experts were examining a flight simulator assembled by Zaharie at his home, hoping to find any clues.

But Khalid said he was still awaiting feedback from experts examining the simulator, adding that so far nothing conclusive had emerged.

A multi-nation search for wreckage from the plane is under way in the Indian Ocean after Malaysia said satellite data indicated it may have gone down there. ― AFP