“The batteries carried on the flight were in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements where it is classified as Non Dangerous Goods,” the statement read.
On Friday, MAS chief executive officer Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said at a press conference that the missing MH370 was carrying some Lithium ion batteries in its cargo but insisted that they were not dangerous as standard rules were followed in its packing.
He said such batteries were also carried on other airlines.
Meanwhile, the US Federal Aviation Administration which has a list of hazardous materials allowed and not allowed in airplanes, stated that Lithium ion batteries, manufactured in Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan are flammable and capable of self-ignition.
(Source: http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/media/materialscarriedbypassengersandcrew.pdf)
The FAA’s Office of Security and Hazardous Materials Safety website overheating has the potential to create thermal runway, a chain reaction leading to self-heating and release of a battery’s stored energy.
“The pilot-in-command is advised either orally or in writing, prior to departure, as to the location of the lithium ion battery or batteries aboard the aircraft,” the website said.
The FAA, which regarded Lithium ion batteries as dangerous cargo, said the batteries were responsible for 140 incidents on planes in the last 23 years.
The MH370 went missing on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Efforts to locate the flight is on-going.
