Filmmaker lends jet to MH370 search

Director Peter Jackson attends the premiere of the film 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' in Los Angeles on December 2, 2013. Photo: Phil McCarten

Director Peter Jackson attends the premiere of the film 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' in Los Angeles on December 2, 2013. Photo: Phil McCarten

Published Apr 3, 2014

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London - Peter Jackson has lent his private jet to the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

The 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug' director's $80 million (R854.1m) G650 is being used to search for the airliner, which vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, off the coast of Australia.

A spokesperson for the filmmaker told the New Zealand Herald newspaper: “A lot of civilian and military aircraft are involved in the search and it's kind of disappointing that because one is owned by a celebrity it becomes a matter of news when there are [over] 200 people missing.''

He also denied that Peter, who is worth an estimated $400 million, decided to loan his jet for attention, saying: “Peter would not seek publicity for something like this and would actively avoid it in fact.”

The 'Lord of the Rings' director purchased his jet in March 2013 for approximately $80 million and it registered to his production company Wingnut, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

His spokesperson also confirmed the jet is available for charter via the service Execujet and is currently on charter in Perth, Australia.

It was recently reported that Peter had sold two of his penthouses in New York City to Taylor Swift for $20 million. - Bang Showbiz

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