By: Tan Sri Md Nor Md Yusof, Chairman of Malaysia Airlines
As you will be aware, last night the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Najib Tun Razak, announced new evidence regarding the disappearance of MH370 on 8thMarch.
Based on this evidence, the Prime Minister’s message was that we must accept the painful reality that the aircraft is now lost and that none of the passengers or crew on board survived.
This is a sad and tragic day for all of us at Malaysia Airlines. While not entirely unexpected after an intensive multi-national search across a 2.24 million square mile area, this news is clearly devastating for the families of those on board. They have waited for over two weeks for even the smallest hope of positive news about their loved ones.
This has been an unprecedented event requiring an unprecedented response. The investigation still underway may yet prove to be even longer and more complex than it has been since March 8th. But we will continue to support the families – as we have done throughout. And to support the authorities as the search for definitive answers continues. I will now ask our Group Chief Executive¸ Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, to provide you will with fuller details of our support for the families.
By: Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, Group Chief Executive Officer, Malaysia Airlines
I stand before you today not only as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Airlines, but also as a parent, as a brother, as a son. My heart breaks to think of the unimaginable pain suffered by all the families. There are no words which can ease that pain. Everyone in the Malaysia Airlines family is praying for the 239 souls on MH370 and for their loved ones on this dark day. We extend our prayers and sincere condolences.
We all feel enormous sorrow and pain. Sorrow that all those who boarded Flight MH370 on Saturday 8th March, will not see their families again. And that those families will now have to live on without those they love. It must be remembered too that 13 of our own colleagues and fellow Malaysians were also on board.
And let me be very clear on the events of yesterday evening. Our sole and onlymotivation last night was to ensure that in the incredibly short amount of time available to us, the families heard the tragic news before the world did. Wherever humanly possible, we did so in person with the families or by telephone, using SMS only as an additional means of ensuring fully that the nearly 1,000 family members heard the news from us and not from the media.
Ever since the disappearance of Flight MH370 Malaysia Airlines’ focus has been to comfort and support the families of those involved and support the multi-national search effort. We will continue to do this, while we also continue to support the work of the investigating authorities in the Southern Indian Ocean.
Like everyone else, we are waiting for news from those authorities. We know that while there have been an increasing number of apparent leads, definitive identification of any piece of debris is still missing. It is impossible to predict how long this will take. But after 17 days, the announcement made last night and shared with the families is the reality which we must now accept. When Malaysia Airlines receives approval from the investigating authorities, arrangements will be made to bring the families to the recovery areas if they so wish. Until that time, we will continue to support the ongoing investigation. And may I express my thanks to the Government and all of those involved in this truly global search effort.
In the meantime, Malaysia Airlines’ overwhelming focus will be the same as it has been from the outset – to provide the families with a comprehensive support programme. Through a network of over 700 dedicated caregivers, the loved ones of those on board have been provided with two dedicated caregivers for each family, providing care, support and counsel. We are now supporting over 900 people under this programme and in the last 72 hours, we have trained an additional 40 caregivers to ensure the families have access to round-the-clock support.
In addition, hotel accommodation for up to five family members per passenger, transportation, meals and others expenses have been provided since 8th March and that will continue.
Malaysia Airlines has already provided initial financial assistance of USD 5,000 per passenger to the next of kin. We recognize that financial support is not the onlyconsideration. But the prolonged search is naturally placing financial strain on the relatives. We are therefore preparing to offer additional payments as the search continues.
This unprecedented event in aviation history has made the past 18 days the greatest challenge to face our entire team at Malaysia Airlines. I have been humbled by the hard work, dedication, heartfelt messages of concern and offers of support from our remarkable team. We do not know why, and we do not know how this terrible tragedy happened. But as the Malaysia Airlines family, we are all praying for the passengers and crew of Flight MH370.
-end-
Note: Please attribute all quotes to Malaysia Airlines
马航MH370事件 媒体声明25
2014年3月25日中午12:30发布
马来西亚航空公司董事长丹斯里诺.于瑟夫
正如大家所知，马来西亚总理纳吉布先生在昨晚宣布了于3月8日失联的MH370航班的新线索。
根据这些线索，总理先生所传达的信息是，我们必须接受这样一个沉痛的现实：这架飞机已经失事，机上乘客和机组成员无人生还。
对于马航的每一个人来说，这都是无比沉痛的一天。尽管在经历了224万平方英里的多国集中搜救行动之后，这样的消息并非完全出人意料，但它对于机上人员的家属们来说一定是沉重的打击。在两个多星期的时间里，他们一直在等待关于亲人的消息，哪怕仅存一线希望。
这是一个史无前例的事件，需要作出前所未有的反应。调查仍然在进行之中，并可能发展成为一个比3月8日以来更加漫长和复杂的过程。但是我们将继续一如既往地为家属提供全力帮助。同时，我们也将继续协助当局对最终结论所进行的调查。现在我请我们的集团首席执行官阿末佐哈里向大家通报有关家属援助的更多细节。
马来西亚航空公司集团首席执行官阿末佐哈里
今天我站在大家面前，不仅是作为马来西亚航空公司集团首席执行官，同时也作为一个父亲，一个兄长、和一个儿子。一想到所有家属所遭受的令人无法想象的伤痛，我的心也无比沉痛。没有什么话语能抚平伤痛。在这不幸的一天，马航的每个人都在为MH370航班上的239 个在天之灵以及他们挚爱的亲属而祈祷。我们表达最真挚的祈祷和哀悼。
我们都感受到了无比的悲伤与痛苦。那些在3月8日星期六登上MH370航班的人将再也无法见到自己的亲人；而那些家庭将在失去亲人的日子里继续生活。同时我们要纪念的还有机上13位马航同事和马来西亚同胞。
请允许我就昨晚的事情进行说明：我们昨晚唯一的出发点，是在时间非常紧迫的情况下，确保家属先于公众获得这个消息。在人力能及的范围内，我们是通过当面或电话形式与家属进行沟通的。手机短信只是附加的沟通方式之一，是为了确保近1,000名家属能够全部从我们这里先于媒体获取消息。
MH370航班失联以来，对家属的援助和对多国搜救行动的支持一直是我们的工作重心所在。我们将继续这样的努力，同时也将继续协助调查机构在南印度洋开展的工作。
象每个人一样，我们正在等待来自调查机构的信息。我们知道尽管有越来越多的线索出现，但还缺少对于飞机残骸的最终鉴定。我们不可能预计这需要多长时间。但是经历了17天后，昨晚所宣布的以及与家属沟通的公告，是我们目前所必须接受的。一旦马来西亚航空公司收到来自调查机构的许可，我们将按照家属的意愿安排他们前往恢复区。在这之前我们将继续协助调查的进行。同时我感谢政府和所有参与这次全球搜救努力的人。
与此同时，马来西亚航空公司的工作重心将一如既往的着眼于乘客亲属——为他们提供全面的援助计划。之前我们已经派出了700名专职护理员，每个失联乘客家庭受到由两名护理员所提供的照料、支持与心理咨询。在过去的72小时中，我们的护理员团队已扩大到900人，此外我们还培训了40名护理员，以保证家属能够得到全天候的帮助。
另外，从3月8日飞机失联以来，我们为每位乘客的家庭提供了多达五人的酒店住宿、交通、饮食等各项费用支出。这些服务也将继续提供。
马来西亚航空公司已经为每一位乘客的直系亲属提供了5,000 美元的初始补助金。我们知道资金援助并不是唯一的因素，但持久的搜救工作对失联乘客家属而言无疑将造成一定的经济负担。因此随着搜救的持续进行，我们也会为家属继续提供资金援助。
对于马来西亚航空公司全体员工而言，这次史无前例的航空事件在过去18天中一直是我们最大的挑战。对于马航团队所付出的努力、贡献、感同身受的担忧、以及无所保留的支持，我心存感激。对于这个悲剧发生的原因和经过，我们尚未知晓，然而作为马来西亚航空公司大家庭，我们真诚的为MH370航班的每一位乘客及机组成员衷心祈祷。
- 完 -
Tuesday, March 25, 12:30 AM MYT +0800 Malaysia Airlines MH370 Flight Incident - Media Statement 24
It is with deep sadness that Malaysia Airlines earlier this evening had to confirm to the families of those on board Flight MH370 that it must now be assumed the flight had been lost. As the Prime Minister said, respect for the families is essential at this difficult time. And it is in that spirit that we informed the majority of the families in advance of the Prime Minister’s statement in person and by telephone. SMSs were used only as an additional means of communicating with the families. Those families have been at the heart of every action the company has taken since the flight disappeared on 8th March and they will continue to be so. When Malaysia Airlines receives approval from the investigating authorities, arrangements will be made to bring the families to the recovery area and until that time, we will continue to support the ongoing investigation.
马来西亚航空公司MH370航空事件
媒体声明24
(发布时间：2014年3月25日 上午12:30)
怀着沉重的悲伤之情，马来西亚航空公司今晚早些时候向MH370失联航班乘客及机组成员的亲属确定了飞机失事这一推断。 正如马来西亚总理纳吉布.扎克拉之前在媒体声明中所说的，在这一艰难时刻，对各位乘客家属的尊重至关重要，也正是因为这一原因，我们在总理发表媒体声明之前，通过电话事先通知了大部分家属这一消息，同时我们还使用短信作为额外的方式与家属进行了沟通。自从3月8日飞机失联以来，乘客家属一直都是我们每一步行动的重中之重，在日后的工作中我们也将继续如此。一旦从调查机关获得批准，马来西亚航空公司便会安排将各位乘客亲属带往恢复区，其后再继续参与到正在进行的调查中去。
(Sumber: Malaysia Airlines System)
