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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

U.S. Intelligence Assessment on MH370; Former Cop Released on Bail; Oil Prices Falling. Aired 4:30-5a ET

Aired July 31, 2015 - 04:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[04:30:56] ALISON KOSIK, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning: new evidence that missing Malaysia airline flight 370 was deliberately steered off course before crashing. The investigation is intensifying now as crews search for more wreckage in the Indian Ocean. Does the plane debris belong to MH370?

Live team coverage breaking it down. That begins now.

Welcome back to EARLY START. I'm Alison Kosik.

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Miguel Marquez. It is 31 minutes past the hour.

Breaking news this morning in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines 370, a preliminary assessment by U.S. intelligence finds that someone controlling the plane deliberately flew it off course before it disappeared. Two U.S. officials briefed on the assessment say it was prepared months ago and was not intended for public release.

The new analysis puts the spotlight back on the two pilots. But Malaysian investigators say there is no evidence of unusual behavior by the pilots or the cabin crew before the flight. Meanwhile, on Reunion Island in the western Indian Ocean, new debris has washed ashore in addition to the wing component found earlier, reminiscent of what looks like a suitcase were found Thursday, and searchers are out scouring.

For more, our senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir is on Reunion.

Nima, what are they looking for now?

NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miguel.

Well, after two days of back-to-back debris washing up in essentially the same location, this is giving credence to the theory that investigators are working on, that this is potentially brought ashore by the same current. And that countercurrent will explain how debris, if this is indeed debris from MH370, could have brought it all the way across from the initial search site. The other side of the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Australia, all the way here to off the southeastern coast of Africa, and if they do manage to isolate that current, that will give them a sense of where else they should be looking.

So, officials here are looking closely along the beach trying to get a sense of what else may be washing up ashore, of course, trying to get to it as quickly as possible because for now, for the families, now this is all back out there, this is about trying to answer those questions as soon as they can.

Nobody wants to be responsible for giving those families false hope or really for extending that grief anymore than it needs to be. They are looking to get much of this to Toulouse, to investigators in the south of France. But they are having a bit of trouble. It is a bit more delayed than they were hoping it to be. And that's just the reality of Reunion's location out there in the Indian Ocean. But we are working to confirm if and when that finally does make it off reunion, Miguel.

MARQUEZ: Yes, I was so impressed by the man who found that piece and what care he gave to that plane, realizing it may be from a plane crash.

What is it like on the little plot of land in the middle of the ocean? What do people think about possibility solving the mystery of the missing flight?

ELBAGIR: Well, there are only about 800,000 people here are reunion. That gives you a sense of how tiny and isolated it is.

Everyone we have spoken to, though, Miguel, they really want to be part of. Johnny, the man you mentioned, he's really been so important to not only realizing very quickly how crucial this was, but trying to make sure as much of that was kept intact for the investigators as possible that everyone you speak to, from the police, the prefecture, that's the local administration here, everybody wants to be part of this. People out on those beaches, they are keeping an eye out.

It is complicated by the location, but also a volcanic eruption under way, believe it or not. They are having to move a lot of those residents living on those upper shores -- on the slopes, sorry, I should say, of the volcano. There are cyclone warnings.

This couldn't get any more difficult for investigators. But people really are behind this. And they hope they can actually finally help solve this.

[04:35:02] every one we've been speaking to says they're really thinking about the families -- Miguel.

MARQUEZ: Wow, braving cyclones and volcanoes. Nima Elbagir, thank you very much. Good luck to you and your crew.

KOSIK: And this morning, the airplane flaperon found on the shore of Reunion Island on the flight to France for analysis at the office of the BEA, that's the agency charged with investigating civil aviation accidents. They are looking for anything that would confirm the component came from MH370, anything that points to possible cause of the airliner's disappearance and anything that might help find the rest of the plane, the flaperon was torn from.

For more on, this let's bring in senior international correspondent Frederik Pleitgen in France.

So, is there any guess when this piece gets to France, how long it will take for investigators to figure out whether or not this is indeed a part of MH370?

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Alison.

That's certainly is the big question here. And it's certainly is the case of the office or lab where this is going to be analyzed is going to take special care to make sure that they're first of all absolutely certain that this part is from a Boeing 777. Absolutely certain that they know from which 777 if it is from one.

And then, also, they're going to try and find out or at least get some clues as to what might have caused the crash. Now, what's going to happen is that the piece of debris or that piece of a potential flaperon, as you were saying, is going to be brought down here to the south of France.

At this point in time, it appears as though the timeline says that part is supposed to leave La Reunion at the evening hours of tonight. It's going to arrive here in France on Saturday at some point and brought down here to Toulouse on Sunday. With the latest that we are hearing from just a couple of minutes ago, Alison, is that the analysis is going to take place here next week.

Now, it's not clear how long that analysis is going to take. It's also not clear when exactly we are going to hear from the office where this is gong to take place. It is part of the French defense ministry. So, it is a military installation.

It is one of the premier laboratories in all of Europe to find out what happened after accidents and help out in accident investigations. So, they're going to conducting all of the tests here.

And the other interesting thing, Alison, the suitcase that was found will be brought to France and analyzed outside Paris -- Alison.

KOSIK: Fred, do you know if any U.S. investigators will be joining in on the analysis as well?

PLEITGEN: Well, it is -- there is the potential there will be people from Boeing to have a look at the parts and help out in the investigation as well. We also know there is a team from the Malaysian investigators that will be coming here, first going to Paris and down to help out in the investigation and try to find out. Of course, any sort of expertise is something that is very welcomed here by the investigators. Again, they have a long history of doing this. They have done this many times before. Also, we had to keep in mind

that Toulouse itself is really the hub of the European aviation. So, there is a lot of expertise here. But we do expect that there are going to be representatives from Boeing who are going to come here and look at that piece of debris as well, Alison.

KOSIK: All right. It sounds like it could be several days before we know anything. More agonizing for the families, I can imagine.

Frederik Pleitgen live in France, thanks so much.

MARQUEZ: Now, this morning, the families of 239 passengers and crew on mh-370 are reacting with caution and skepticism. Two officials who say they are increasingly confident the flaperon is indeed from the missing jet after repeatedly having their hopes dashed, raised. Some say they want 100 percent certainty from the part came from MH370.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SARAH BAJC, PARTNER PHILIP WOOD WAS ON MH370: You know, we lived for 16 months in the state of limbo with absolutely no concrete information, and in fact, a lot of misdirection by the officials. We have become very suspicious of anything that can't be proven through a third party.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUEZ: Now let's bring in CNN's Kristie Lu Stout for more on the reaction from MH370 families.

Good morning, Kristie. It must be hope and fear for those families.

KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it has been, Miguel, a long and agonizing wait for all the family member of the 239 passengers on board the missing Malaysian airliner jet. They have been waiting for so long for answers.

You can just imagine right now what they're going through, watching the footage, seeing what this looks like, a clue washing up on shore in this island a half world away, wondering if this is it. Is this the first piece of physical evidence of the plane that vanished March of 2014 with their loved ones onboard?

They have been waiting for 16 months now, and they're going to have to wait longer.

[04:40:02] Here we have a copy of today's "Star" newspaper. It's a dominant news daily here in Malaysia. And the front cover says, "Answer in two days", that coming from the Malaysian prime minister, Najib Razak, saying that it will take two days for the Malaysian authorities and French authorities to look and analyze that piece of wreckage and to confirm whether or not if it's indeed from MH370.

Now, the family members here in Malaysia, remember, there were 50 passengers onboard the flight. The family members in Malaysia have been reacting with a mixture of fear, of hope, and also of caution, because there had been so many false leads before and we were able to reach and speak to an 18-year-old daughter of the Malaysian chief steward on the plane. Her name is Maira Elizabeth Nari.

And in a statement, she says this, quote, "Honestly, we are nervous. We feel a little bit of restlessness. A part of us wants it to be true, but another part of us does not want it to be true. We are not sure what to say about it. Right now, we are just waiting for the result to come in. Last but not lest, we are tired with all of this already."

That coming from 18-year-old Maira, the daughter of the chief steward -- 18 years old. She'll be turning 19 next month. She is attending university, a local college. And she also adds that whatever the officials, investigators, whatever conclusions they come up with in Tolousse, that she will accept it.

Back to you, Miguel.

MARQUEZ: Your heart just goes out to them. They just must be turned emotionally, right down the center.

Kristie Lu Stout, thank you so much.

We will cover the latest on Malaysia Airline 370 all morning long.

KOSIK: But, first, a police officer accused of murder during a traffic stop, new video released in the case coming up next.

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[04:45:11] MARQUEZ: New information this morning on the search for Malaysia Airline Flight 370. A U.S. intelligence assessment concluding that someone in the cockpit deliberately flew MH370 off course before the plane disappeared. On the same Indian Ocean Island where part of the plane's wing washed ashore, new debris has been found. Part of a suitcase was found Thursday, and crews are searching for the shoreline for more debris.

Meanwhile, the wing component is being flown to France where investigators will try to confirm whether it came from MH370.

KOSIK: A former University of Cincinnati police officer released from jail after posting bond. Ray Tensing spending 27 hours behind bars under a suicide watch before his father bailed him out. He is facing murder charges for shooting a black motorist in the head during a traffic stop earlier this month.

Tensing claimed he fired at Samuel DuBose after getting knocked to the ground and dragged by his car. But this new video from Tensing's body camera contradicts that story.

Listen to Tensing seconds after the shooting giving his version of what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OFFICER RAY TENSING: I thought he's to run me over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you OK?

TENSING: I guess.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holy (EXPLETIVE DELETED)

TENSING: (INAUDIBLE) gunshot wound to the head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOSIK: Now, for more on the video evidence in the case and reaction from DuBose's family, here's CNN national correspondent Jason Carroll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Miguel, Alison, to date, three body cam videos have been released. None of them appear to show Tensing being dragged by DuBose's car.

Even so, Tensing's attorney says one of those body cam videos is significant. It shows Tensing on the ground. Tensing attorney says that is evidence enough that something has happened. But Dubose's family could not disagree more. They say what they see on those tapes is very clear to them.

TERINA DUBOSE ALLEN, VICTIM'S SISTER: There's a camera angle. That's not going to show him putting his hands up and say, what are you doing?

Go ahead and I would ask his attorney to get those angles and show me the angles that show where my brother did not beg for his life. Put his hands up where he ever dragged the police officer.

STEW MATTHEWS, TENSING'S ATTORNEY: You can tell he was moved at least 20 to 25 feet from the scene of the traffic stop and he is getting up in the street. That tends to corroborate what he said happened. He was getting dragged.

CARROLL: Tensing's bail set at $1 million. Late Thursday, he was out on bond. DuBose's family says that any of the University of Cincinnati police officers who corroborated his story should also be held accountable.

I can tell you that two University of Cincinnati police officers are now on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation -- Miguel, Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: Time for an early start on your money.

Looks like a calm end of the week for stocks. Stocks in China down about 1 percent. That's nothing compared to the huge swings we have been seeing there. Stocks in Europe are up a bit right now. U.S. stock futures, they are kind of flat at the moment. Facebook just built a giant solar powered drone. Its goal: to bring

Internet to rural and hard to reach areas. It's the baby of Facebook's year old connectivity lab, which is working on the social network mission to connect everybody in the world.

Four billion people in the world don't have access to the Internet. 10 percent of the population lacks infrastructure to get online. So, Facebook is working on drones, satellites and lasers to reach them. Eventually, the technology will happen. The technology, though, it's far away from being used.

You know, just when we thought Facebook was all about self involved. It's actually getting out there.

MARQUEZ: It is amazing watching that video and the lasers that they can shoot can hit a dime from miles, miles away.

KOSIK: Let's hope it's successful.

MARQUEZ: I want that service as soon as possible.

Plane debris found in the Indian ocean examined by experts. Does it belong to missing Malaysia Airline Flight 370? The clues on the wreckage, coming up next.

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[04:53:06] MARQUEZ: The discovery of possible debris from MH370 prompting many questions. Chief among them, what exactly is the flaperon that washed up and can it solve the mystery of what happened to the jetliner.

CNN's Nick Valencia takes a closer look with an aviation expert.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miguel and Alison, this is Universal Asset Management. They know a lot about aviation, a lot about the Boeing 777. Their resident expert joining us here now, senior vice president Michael Kenney.

We've heard a lot about the flaperon. What is it? What does it do? Where is it on the plane?

MICHAEL KENNEY, SVP, UNIVERSAL ASSET MANAGEMENT: The flaperon is located right between these two larger structures. These are called the flaps. The flaperon is a flight surface that controls lift at low speeds, as well as maneuverability of the aircraft.

VALENCIA: And we brought one down here to get a closer look. This is exactly what would be on a Boeing 777. Something you pointed out, this data plate gives information specifically about where this piece could have come from. But it's gone. Where could it have gone?

KENNEY: Yes. Any component is going to have a data plate that identifies part number and serial number. It's held on by adhesive. So, over time, if it's sat in a substance such as water, it could wear away and remove from the component.

VALENCIA: And you've been following this since the very beginning. You saw something that stood out to you about the damage. What is this side of the -- on the flaperon?

KENNEY: The component is held on to the aircraft by two actuators or linkages. On the pictures that we've seen coming out of Reunion, both of those links have been removed.

VALENCIA: These mounting points right here?

KENNEY: These mounting points have been forcibly removed, as well as on the aft section of the component, there's a lot of tearing where that piece which is most external to the aircraft would have been removed.

VALENCIA: Again, this is a replica, this flaperon, but it's something like this that wash up right off the coast of Madagascar that could provide investigators a link to finding out exactly what happened to MH370 -- Miguel, Alison.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KOSIK: Oil prices plunging. That's great at the gas pump, brutal for energy jobs.

[04:55:02] The latest costs of tumbling oil, next.

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KOSIK: Let's get an early start on your money. I'm Alison Kosik.

Looks like investors could get a bit of calm today to end the week. China stocks down about 1 percent. They had their worst month in six years. Looking a bit less frenzied. U.S. stock futures are barely moving so far.

Yesterday, America got a good, but not great sign the economy is picking up momentum. GDP grew 2.3 percent in the second quarter. Wall Street was expecting a bit higher, but it was a huge improvement from the growth at the beginning of the year.

Oil prices are falling this morning, down more than 1 percent right now. Prices were relatively steady for a few months, but then in July, oil prices have tanked 20 percent. And energy companies are once again slashing jobs. Shell plans to cut 6,500 jobs. Chevron is cutting 1,500 jobs. And British firm Centriga will shed 6,000 jobs.

Google to start measuring pollution data. The San Francisco startup has equipped Google Street View cars with sensors will measure humidity, temperature and emissions. When the cars drive to collect data for Google Map, they'll also be able to map air quality. Google will start in San Francisco first over the next year. The Environmental Protection Agency calls this a next step for science.

Google is doing good for the earth. MARQUEZ: Well, you know where you're going to really have the smog.

KOSIK: Yes, exactly.

MARQUEZ: While you're sitting in traffic, you know it's smoggy.

KOSIK: Absolutely.

MARQUEZ: Brilliant.

EARLY START continues right now.