VN to meet oil-rig worker who reportedly saw MH370 crash

March 14, 2014 | 10:00

(0) user say

The Foreign Ministry of Vietnam has directed authorities in Vung Tau to meet an oil-rig worker who claimed that he saw the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 crash off the country’s southern coast Saturday morning.

Nguyen Ngoc Hung, director of Ba Ria-Vung Tau province's Foreign Affairs Office, confirmed this information with Tuoi Tre at 10:30pm on March 13.

New Zealander Michael Jerome McKay, who is working on Songar Mercur oil-rig off Vung Tau, claimed in an email to his employers that he saw the plane crash about 50 to 70 km away from his location.

“I believe I saw the Malaysia Airlines plane come down. The timing is right” – the man wrote. “I tried to contact the Malaysian and Vietnam officials several days ago. But I don’t know if the message has been received.”

McKay said the surface location of the observation is Lat 08 22’ 30.20” N Lat 108 42.22.26” E and the possible plane appeared to be in one piece. “From when I first saw the burning (plane) until the flames went out (still at high altitude) was 10 to 15 seconds” - he said.

Vietnamese naval officer Le Minh Thanh told America’s ABC News that Vietnam has sent a plane to the area to investigate the man’s claims but the search was fruitless.

ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who obtained a copy of Mckay’s email, twitted that Richard Beaton at Japanese Idemitsu Oil & Gas Co, who hired Songa Mercur to drill, confirmed with him that McKay’s email is real.

Tuoitrenews

What the stars mean:

★ Poor ★ ★ Promising ★★★ Good ★★★★ Very good ★★★★★ Exceptional