Was just watching a presser with PM TA & Dutch PM giving an update on the
MH17 investigation. In the intro TA passed tribute to the many agencies & government officials involved in the DSB headed investigation and repatriation of victims remains, everyone it seems except for
Beaker & his boys...
This omission - although obscurely - was somewhat recovered by PM Rutte when he paid tribute to our "forensic experts" assisting the DSB...
I also note from a presser held yesterday that PM Rutte recognises the importance of maintaining the independence - & therefore integrity - of the State Aviation Accident Investigation agency..
:
Joint Press Conference with Prime Minister Rutte, Parliament House
PRIME MINISTER RUTTE:
And on your second question, I can guarantee you that we will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice. We are working on this with all the countries involved through the independent Dutch Safety Board, through the public prosecutors, many people of high calibre are working on this on both sides of the world to get to the bottom of this. So, we are highly motivated. I have no 100 per cent guarantee but I do have 100 per cent guarantee that we will do everything we can to bring them to justice.
As you know, we as a Dutch Government we are leading the international investigation and that means that I will never comment on evidence or… I know there are many dots, there are many facts which have been established or facts which we think have been established, to make sure that we have absolute clarity about the facts and to connect the dots of these facts into a clear conclusion is up to the independent Dutch Safety Board and the reason we do this through the independent Dutch Safety Board is that Tony, myself and all the others involved we don't want to have political interference in the final conclusions of what happened. If it is independent then it is much more difficult for countries, probably being involved or potentially being involved, to question the outcome and that's the reason why we are so hesitant to connect dots.
Crying shame..
..we cannot say the same about our own AAI whose independence - after the PelAir cover-up - remains extremely questionable!
However we all know that these pressers are very much stage managed by the PM's minders. So was his omission of the ATsB involvement in MH17 (no doubt a valuable contribution) an attempt to distance himself from any association from mi..mi..mi..Beaker?? And will the Coalition government rue the decision of keeping Beaker in the top spot at the bureau and then putting him in charge of the MH370 search mission in the Southern Indian Ocean??
Time will tell I guess but TA & Co cannot say they were not given fair warning...
This from a Liberal Senator no less:
Senator EDWARDS: Chair, since we have started, there has been mea culpa after mea culpa after mea culpa in this thing. Now you are hearing evidence for the first time of what is supposed to be a forensic investigation. I have heard that this report would be a joke in the international standing—if other reviewers were to have reviewed this. I think that the evidence that Senator Xenophon and Senator Fawcett are drawing out would suggest that. We haven't even got to the black box yet. Are you proud of this report?
Mr Dolan: I certainly would not hold this report as a benchmark. I am still satisfied that the key elements—
Senator EDWARDS: Three years in the making. Mea culpa after mea culpa. Are you proud of this report?
Mr Dolan: No, I am not proud of this report.
[20]
And this from Chapter 3 para 3.64 of the AAI report...
"...3.64 The committee finds the ATSB's refusal to retrieve the FDR incongruous and questionable. Furthermore, the committee takes a dim view of the ATSB's reliance on a version of ICAO Annex 13 that only came into force in late 2010, nearly a year after the accident, to justify this decision. Mr Dolan's evidence in this regard is questionable and has seriously eroded his standing as a witness before the committee..."
...a statement that Senator Xenophon drew attention to in his adjournment speech 04 March 2014, along with a query on how Beaker's position was now tenable:
There are now indications that the international community is becoming suspect on Beaker, now would be a good time for Beaker & the miniscule to be quietly shown the backdoor...
On the MH370 search simply pass the baton to the AMSA crew whose no fuss co-ordination of the initial search in the Indian Ocean has gained them much respect -
Australia sponsors improvements to global aviation search and rescue - surely it would not be much of a stretch for AMSA to now oversee & co-ordinate the MH370 undersea search??
Addendum - MH370: Boeing needs to explain neglect of 777 security flaw
The above article from Planetalking perhaps perfectly highlights why it is essential for politics & aviation accident investigation to remain separate - as PM Rutte goes at length to explain (above). And why it is essential for an ICAO signatory State to protect the independence & veracity of the State appointed AAI.
The following quote also gives rise to questions on why TA's government would possibly risk putting an individual like Beaker - with zero credibility (or indeed believability) - in charge of the MH370 underwater search mission, when there is such huge interest internationally:
What we do know is that the Malaysia Government, having deliberately mislead its search partners as to what it knew about the course flown by MH370 on the morning of its disappearance on 8 March, has also suppressed two items in the cargo manifest, which among other possibilities, have been rumoured to have comprised gold bullion.
This is not the only thing that has been suppressed for, rather than by, the same government, but more about that sine dei as some Australian judges say.
The role of Boeing in this is important, but not officially explained. Boeing was told in no uncertain terms about the security risks of this unsecured access to critical flight and support systems several years, and as recounted in Jeff Wise’s blog, even Emirates, the largest user of the Boeing 777, brushed them aside at the time.
We will ask Boeing again why it designed such a crock when it came to security in the first place, and why it didn’t put in train immediate mandatory action to close it off. There are times when airlines, regulators and aircraft makers ought to listen to concerned pilots and take what they say seriously. Now there is risk of serious criminal liability arising from an incident in which 239 people died.
Pure gold Ben..pure gold..
"Leaving the door open to a potential for hijacking or terrorism is surely indefensible, but c’mon, give us some weasel words anyhow."
MTF...
