Kuala Lumpur: A new mystery has emerged in MH370`s disappearance with the Malaysia Airlines saying the lithium ion batteries carried in the plane weighed over 200 kg, even as the cargo manifest released recently listed the "consolidated" consignment at 2.453 tonnes.
"About two tonnes, equivalent to 2,453 kg of cargo was declared as consolidated under one master airway bill. This master AWB actually comprised five house AWB. Of these five AWB, two contained lithium ion batteries amounting to a total tonnage volume of 221 kg.
The balance three house AWB, amounting to 2,232 kg, were declared as radio accessories and chargers," the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) said in a statement last night.
But this has not been disclosed before and is not stated in the cargo manifest, the Star reported.
According to Malaysian company NNR Global Logistics the batteries formed only a small part of a "consolidated" shipment weighing 2.453 tonnes.
Even though the MAS said the batteries weighed 221 kg, a company spokesman said they weighed less than 200kg. He, however, did not say what the remaining 2.253 tonnes of cargo was.
"I cannot reveal more because of the ongoing investigations. We have been told by our legal advisers not to talk about it," he was quoted as saying by the daily.
He said he could not name the company which manufactured the batteries.
Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya had also announced on March 24 that 200kg of lithium batteries were on board the plane. He said they were packed safely.
Malaysian authorities released the plane`s full cargo manifest along with the preliminary report on the missing Boeing 777-200 on Thursday which showed that NNR Global shipped 133 pieces of one item weighing 1.99 tonnes and 67 pieces of another item weighing 463kg for a total weight of 2.453 tonnes. Neither the number of batteries nor its weight were specified.
The manifest came with an instruction that it should be handled with care and that flammability hazards exist. Its flammability had been the source of many earlier theories over how the plane was lost. However, most of the theories have been debunked.
Meanwhile, an International panel probing the case of the missing Malaysian jet will determine the reason for the four-hour delay in the hunt for the plane.
The Beijing-bound plane - carrying 239 people, including five Indians, an Indo-Canadian and 154 Chinese nationals - had mysteriously vanished on March 8 after taking off from Kuala Lumpur.
It was reported that the missing plane was carrying lithium ion batteries and 4.566 tonnes of mangosteens.
The manifest showed that the batteries were from NNR Global.
NNR Global is located at the Dis3plex Free Commercial Zone at the Airfreight Forwarders Warehousing Cargo Complex, less than 100 metres from the Penang International Airport. The complex is guarded by the police and only those with passes are allowed entry.
The package was meant for NNR Global Logistics (Beijing) Co Ltd but a company named JHJ International Transportation Co Ltd, Beijing Branch, was to collect the cargo on its behalf.
Meanwhile, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar today said the deleted data on missing Malaysian jetliner MH370 pilot Capt Zaharie Ahmad Shah`s flight simulator is yet to be fully recovered.
He said retrieving the data was a difficult process even with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
"We have only retrieved some of the data from the simulator. I cannot reveal further as it is still under investigation," Khalid told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
Police have not ruled out anyone as suspects, including Capt Zaharie, he said. "We have recorded statements from 311 people, including foreigners," he said.
