Having always been in love with all things related to aviation since childhood, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman's dream came true when he was given a chance to enter the field of aircraft engineering. Serving as Director-General for eleven years with the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), he had had many valuable experiences.

However, the two biggest tragedies that occurred in 2014, that of MH370 and MH17, had the greatest impact on his life, and affected not just the victims and their families, but the entire Malaysian aviation industry.

Azharuddin was directly involved in leading the search missions of the tragic disappearance of MH370 on 8 March 2014, and in a series of investigations concerning the downing of MH17 in eastern Ukraine on 17 July of the same year.

As Director-General, Azharuddin faced a heavy burden in the aftermath of the twin disasters, of which MH370 remains unsolved to the present day. No one was prepared for the MH370 tragedy despite all the training they had received. As for MH17, Azharuddin laments that the tragedy may have been prevented had full information on the level of conflict in Ukraine been made available during that time. In both cases, all passengers and crew on board were killed.

Both tragic events marked a new history in the aviation industry, both in Malaysia and in the international arena, causing new reforms to burst into action to ensure similar incidents will not happen again.

In writing this book, Azharuddin draws from personal experience, conducting his research with and around aviation industry professionals, and drawing insights from others involved in both incidents to present a full and raw take on the twin disasters of the Malaysian aviation industry in 2014.

Contents:

• Preface

• Introduction

• Background: From Kampung Boy to Director General of DCA:

  • The World of Aviation: A Love at First Sight
  • An Alumnus of Santa's School
  • Moving to Kuala Lumpur
  • MAS Interview at MARA Building, Kuala Lumpur
  • An Offer from MAS-MARA
  • Training in New Zealand
  • Working in MAS
  • Moved to DCA: A New Beginning

• MH370:

  • The Tragedy, The Disappearance, The Search:

    • MH370 — The Beginning of the Tragedy
    • The First Day: What Actually Happened
    • How Did MH370 Disappear?
    • MH370 Made a Turnback?
    • Establishment of MH370 HLTTF
    • Search and Rescue
    • The Good News and the Bad News
    • MH370 Ended in the Indian Ocean
    • Did It Really End in the Indian Ocean?

  • The Search Effort:

    • Locating MH370
    • The Search Begins
    • From South China Sea to Straits of Malacca / Bay of Bengal
    • North Corridor and South Corridor
    • The Search in the Southern Indian Ocean
    • The Challenges of Finding MH370
    • The Search Continues
    • Why Ocean Infinity?
    • Ocean Infinity's Search Areas
    • Preparing for a Possible Discovery
    • The Impact of the 14th General Elections

  • Reality vs Conspiracy:

    • Response to Conspiracy Theories
    • Pilot Linked to Disappearance
    • MH370 Hijacked via Remote Control
    • Technical Problems on MH370?
    • MH370 in Diego Garcia?
    • The Scientist and the Mysterious Cargo
    • MH370 in Mindanao, Philippines?

  • Investigating the MH370 Debris:

    • A Stirring Discovery
    • Dealing with the French Judiciary
    • Investigation of the Flaperon in France
    • Investigating the Flap in Tanzania
    • The MH370 Debris
    • Analysis of the Debris

  • The Media and the Shaman:

    • Experiencing Media Scrutiny
    • The Foreign Reporter Who Followed Me
    • Stalked by a Woman
    • Facing the Media from China
    • Offers to Find MH370: Shaman and Psychic

  • Next-of-Kins: Acceptance of the Tragedy:

    • Declaring the Crash of MH370
    • Reaction from the Next of Kins
    • Reaction of the Next of Kins from China

• MH17:

  • Tragedy Strikes Again:

    • Another Tragedy
    • Retrieving the Black Boxes
    • The Difficulties of Entering the Site

  • A Rather Impossible Mission:

    • Repatriation Process of the Remains
    • Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Process
    • Identifying the Remains
    • Bodies of Unidentified Victims
    • Managing the Bodies of Malaysian Victims
    • The Efficiency of the Malaysian Team

  • An Unforgettable Experience:

    • Handling the Bodies of the Victims of MH17
    • Reactions from Next of Kins of MH17

  • The Black Boxes and Why MH17?:

    • Analysis of the Black Boxes
    • MH17 Possibly Shot Down?
    • Why Shoot MH17?

  • Forensic Investigation:

    • MH17 Detailed Investigation
    • Responding to Accusations

  • Media Reactions and Response:

    • In Media Attention Again
    • Effect on MAS and Malaysia's Reputation

  • Social Media and Conspiracy Theories:

    • Social Media Theories
    • Dismissing Conspiracies

  • The Final Investigation Reports on MH370 and MH17:

    • A Summary of MH17 Investigation Report
    • A Summary of MH370 Investigation Report

  • Closing:

    • Maturing Through Experience
    • Finding Strength Through Support from Family and Friends
    • Efforts to Transform DCA
    • Honoured with ICAO's Highest Recognition

  • The List of Passengers:>

    • MH370 Passenger List
    • MH370 List of Pilots and Cabin Crew
    • MH17 Passenger List
    • MH17 List of Pilots and Cabin Crew

• Index

Readership: Academics/Researchers interested in aviation history; aviation industry professionals; next-of-kin/family/friends of people involved in the MH370/MH17 incidents.
Key Features:

• First book of its kind on this topic that has been one of the most searched and discussed topics of the decade
• Written by a person who has had firsthand experience in conducting the search operations of one of the most mysterious aviation incidents
• Comprehensive coverage of an unprecedented aviation incident