A new mystery surrounding the disappearance of MH370 emerged today after a police chief claimed he knew what had happened to the Malaysian Airlines jet.
The head of the Indonesian Police Force, General Sutarman - who uses only one name - reportedly told a meeting of airline officials and senior police that 'I actually know what had actually happened with MH370,' giving rise to suggestions officials were aware of what caused the Boeing 777-200 aircraft to disappear but have chosen not to reveal the information.
His comment was witnessed by representatives of Lion Air and several high-ranking police officers in Jakarta, according to a report by the Indonesian news portal, Kompas.com.
But in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur today, Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said he was shocked to hear of the comments by his Indonesian counterpart and he was planning to speak to him about the issue.
General Sutarman was quoted as saying: 'I spoke to the Malaysian Police Chief Tun Mohammed Hanif Omar. I actually know what had actually happened with MH370.'
However, Mohammed Omar retired from the police chief's position in Malaysia in 1994, and that role now being taken by Mr Bakar.
It is possible that General Sutarman is aware that Mr Omar had retired but had simply not mentioned that when he referred to him.
It is apparent from the current Malaysian police chief's comments, however, that his Indonesian counterpart had not been in touch with him.
Mr Bakar told Malaysia's Bernama news agency that he was shocked to learn of the comments because Malaysian police did not have any information about the missing jet.
'I would like to know which media and when such a report was published' said Mr Bakar. 'I will ask my counterpart, whether he had said anything about the issue.'
With a full scale search due to get under way soon in the southern Indian Ocean, the search and rescue team (SAR) has found 58 solid objects on the sea bed, Malaysia's Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Lai, said today.
The Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre, he said, was in the midst of recovering the objects in the hope that they were wreckage parts from the ill-fated jetliner.
'The Ministry will verify the objects in its effort to draw a sound conclusion,' Mr Liow said today in Kuala Lumpur.
A Malaysian vessel 'Go Phoenix', normally used for oil exploration, is expected to arrive in Perth, Western Australia, on September 21.
It will be accompanied by Australia's 'Furgo Discovery' ship to search the ocean floor using towed vehicles equipped with sonar and video cameras.
By Richard Shears, Daily Mail
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