U.S. sends team to investigate Malaysia Airlines crash

(Reuters) - The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday it has dispatched a team to Asia to help investigate the crash of a Malaysia Airlines jet early Saturday that is presumed to have claimed 239 lives. The NTSB team is accompanied by technical advisers from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. air safety regulator and Boeing Co, which made the 777-200ER jet that was lost while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. "Once the aircraft location is identified, International Civil Aviation Organization protocols will determine which country will lead the investigation," the NTSB said. Because of the travel time to Asia, the team departed from the United States on Saturday night so it could be in place to assist without delay, the NTSB said. (Reporting by Alwyn Scott in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)