Did Najib act responsibly about MH370? Corrobration? Should he have waited for verification by others?

What happened to MH370 is still really unknown for sure - it would be different if we had found pieces or parts of that airplane, which would corroborate any 'speculation' based on '...type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort...'?

The conclusion is by only the 'UK Air Accident investigation branch, or AAIB' - what about the Chinese, the US, the Australian and others - do they concur with the findings of UK's AAIB?

Where is the corroboration? Was it responsible to make 'conclusions'? It would have been better if these 'conclusions' about the fate of MH370 and the people on board was made after there was corroboration. After all, floating objects have been spotted by satellites and airplanes, and would hopefully be fished out of the sea by ships, and we would know whether this was from flight MH370. News report says that some of these would be fished out very soon...

So, why did Najib not wait for these corroboration, which may have been forthcoming in a few hours? 

MAS statement - "...have to assume that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean...". Assume? Not a proven fact?

Najib - "...It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean..." - looks like a conclusion by Najib?

Maybe MAS and Najib never made any final conclusions, but that is how the media is reporting it...

What happened to the passengers? Are there survivors? Really, we still do not know, do we?

As I mentioned earlier, it may have been better to make determination after some corroboration was made. It would have been better to wait until the other parties involved in the investigations did check and verify the conclusions made by UK's AAIB and Inmarsat(a UK Company)? 

Transcript: Malaysian prime minister’s March 24 statement on MH370

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak on Monday said that, according to new data, flight MH370 ended up in the Indian Ocean. Here is a transcript of his full statement.

This evening I was briefed by representatives from the UK Air Accident investigation branch, or AAIB. They inform me that Inmarsat, the UK company that provided the satellite data which indicated northern and southern corridors, has been performing further calculations on the data, using a type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort.

They have been able to shed more light on MH370’s flight path. Based on their new analysis. Inmarsat and the AAIB have concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.

This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

We will be holding a press conference tomorrow with further details. In the meantime, we wanted to inform you of this newest development at earliest opportunity.

We share this information out of a commitment to openness and respect for the families -- two principles which have guided this investigation.

Malaysia Airlines has already spoken to the family of the passengers and crew to inform them of this development.

For them the past few weeks have been heartbreaking. I know this news must be hard as well.

I urge the media to respect their privacy and allow them the space they need at this very difficult time.”
Source: The Wahington Post,  Transcript: Malaysian prime minister’s March 24 statement on MH370

MAS' statement to victims' families

The following statement was made to family members of those on board MH370 before Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's announcement that the plane is assumed to be lost in the southern Indian Ocean:

Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean. As you will hear in the next hour from Malaysia’s Prime Minister, new analysis of satellite data suggests the plane went down in the Southern Indian Ocean.

                                                                                                     

On behalf of all of us at Malaysia Airlines and all Malaysians, our prayers go out to all the loved ones of the 226 passengers and of our 13 friends and colleagues at this enormously painful time.

We know there are no words that we or anyone else can say which can ease your pain. We will continue to provide assistance and support to you, as we have done since MH370 first disappeared in the early hours of 8 March, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The ongoing multinational search operation will continue, as we seek answers to the questions which remain. Alongside the search for MH370, there is an intensive investigation, which we hope will also provide answers.

We would like to assure you that Malaysia Airlines will continue to give you our full support throughout the difficult weeks and months ahead.

Once again, we humbly offer our sincere thoughts, prayers and condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy. - Malaysiakini, MAS' statement to victims' families