Malaysian aviation authorities have released the raw satellite data used to determine that the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean, the disclosure follows pressure from the families of the 239 people on-board.

On 19 May, Malaysia’s acting minister of transport Hishammuddin Tun Hussein instructed the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to hold a discussion with British satellite telecommunications company, Inmarsat, over the public release of the raw data.

The DCA said it has been working with Inmarsat for release of the data communication logs and technical description of the analysis.

"The 47-page flight data report included communication logs from Inmarsat, with explanations to help the public understand them."

The 47-page flight data report included communication logs from Inmarsat, with explanations to help the public understand them.

Previously, the DCA argued that satellite data was only one of many elements that are being examined by investigators.

The Beijing-bound MH370 aircraft vanished off radar screens on 8 March an hour after it took off from Kuala Lumpur.

Subsequent Australia-led search efforts have been ongoing over an area of the southern Indian Ocean for traces of the aircraft. Australia has committed nearly $84m for the search efforts over two years.

Recently, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad accused the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Boeing in his personal blog, ‘What goes up must come down’.

He accused the two parties of hiding information relating to the missing aircraft, and alleged that the disappearance of MH370 was most likely not an ordinary crash due to fuel exhaustion.

He went on to claim that the aircraft could have been changed to autopilot mode remotely by the CIA.

Defence Technology