Missing Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 239 triggers Southeast Asia search

[steve73]

In the news conference just held by the Malaysian government, they stated that they were expanding the search area off the west coast of Malaysia. The map they presented showed an area that is far larger than the 100 sqm area at the area where radar contact was lost. The search grid now stretches northwest, all the way up past the northern tip of Sumatra, on a line west of Phuket. That's must be more than an hour's flight time from the original area.

Obviously a 777-200 does not glide that far. I am guessing that Malaysia's military radar must have tracked primary radar returns out into the Andaman, and being military, they don't want to show their hand. It also indicates that if they believe the aircraft could have been intact, out of radio and transponder contact and able to fly perhaps 500 nm, then they must suspect hijacking as a possibility.

If the Malaysian govt really believe it to be on the Wset of Phuket, then it must have flown across Thailand, somewhere around Sonkla perhaps, and at very low altitude, so I'm surprised it was not noticed, either radar or visual....

Also, from the loss of contact location, in that general direction there are a number of offshore Oil & Gas installations, which probably have low altitude radar for their helicopter operations - although of course they were probably not monitored at night or may even have been switched off...?

[EyesWideOpen]

Getting more bizarre by the day..... This sea area is not that big compared to when AF 447 debris was found

in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Everyone assumed that debris would be found on the following day after

this crash. But nothing..... And it seems that that area is now full of search planes criss crossing back and forth.

Lots of interesting theories at this point. One of the pilot websites suggested

that perhaps a meteor had stuck the plane. If this planes continues to be not found, you can bet that

script writers in Hollywood will soon be working up a movie about this. I think that if debris is not found

in the next day or so ,the new theory will be that it was hijacked / stolen, and flown off somewhere.

[Basil B]

.

Failed to board

Four passengers on flight 370 failed to board after checking in their luggage, which raised further suspicion about the passengers after the plane disappeared.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/no-wreckage-of-malaysia-flight-mh370-found-says-airline-20140310-hvgs6.html#ixzz2vXIDmkni

In fact 5 checked-in passengers failed to board.

All of their checked-on luggage was removed from the aircraft prior to take off.

......according to the official 'line' that is. I understand the flight left on time, which I find unlikely if FIVE pax failed to show. Unless of course all 'no show' luggage was conveniently all in the same container and this was the last container to be loaded in the hold.....

I have no doubt now that a government somewhere knows exactly what has happened to these poor souls, but they ain't for telling at the moment.

Other data shows Flight left some 15 minutes late!!

Nothing unusual about passengers failing to board.

Virtually every fight seems to be delayed while they offload baggage.

[Tywais]

Hong Kong's Air Traffic Control Center reported on Mar 10th 2014 around 17:30L (09:30Z) that an airliner enroute on airway L642 reported via HF radio that they saw a large field of debris at position N9.72 E107.42 about 80nm southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, about 50nm off the south-eastern coast of Vietnam in the South China Sea and about 281nm northeast of the last known radar position. Ships have been dispatched to the reported debris field.

Aviation Herald

[schondie]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

[wprime]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

No shows are common but failing to board after checking in is unusual.

[schondie]

"The Malaysian aviation chief dismissed earlier reports that the two were Asian-looking but refused to elaborate.

"I can confirm that he is not a Malaysian, but cannot divulge which country he is from yet," he said, hinting that revealing their identity could hinder the investigation.

Asked how the two looked like, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said: "Do you know a footballer by the name of [Mario] Balotelli?""

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-mario-balotelli-lookalikes-had-stolen-passports-1439638

[Showbags]

Has anyone checked North korea ?

[harrry]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

No shows are common but failing to board after checking in is unusual.

Not so unusual....last drinks...a quick toilet trip...getting from luggage drop to security gate without time to be be checked after spending too much time eating. Can happen easily with a group too as it is easy to lose track of time when having the last drink and thinking someone else is keeping track of time and calls.

[Basil B]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

No shows are common but failing to board after checking in is unusual.

As I said in my previous post passengers failing to board means the luggage has to be off loaded, and it does happen too frequently, this is different to passengers who fail to check in as they do not have baggage to off load.

Reasons for passengers failing to board can be:

• Passengers gone to the wrong gate
• Passengers lost in the airport
• Passengers transferring from other flights
• Passengers having a good time in the bar
• Passengers who had a good time in the bar being "denied boarding"
• Passengers held up at immigration or customs
• Passengers held up at security

There are many other reasons too.

[harrry]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1987154-malaysia-airlines-mh370-cop-likens-fake-passport-holders-to-mario-balotelli

38 mins ago - Malaysia Airlines MH370 Aviation Chief Likens Holders of Fake Passports to Mario Balotelli ... Next ARTICLE » ... travelling on board on fake passports to AC Milan and Italy striker Mario Balotelli. ... from Bleacher Report.

[Basil B]

Has anyone checked North korea ?

More to the point has North Korea tested any missiles recently.

[harrry]

Has anyone checked North korea ?

More to the point has North Korea tested any missiles recently.

Spratlys could be more relevant.

[pmugghc]

One thing that puzzled me from the start: initially they said the plane was 2 hours into the flight, which would have put it nearer Hainan. But radar sightings just stopped after 40 min. Why the 2 hour claim?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[bubba]

"The Malaysian aviation chief dismissed earlier reports that the two were Asian-looking but refused to elaborate.

"I can confirm that he is not a Malaysian, but cannot divulge which country he is from yet," he said, hinting that revealing their identity could hinder the investigation.

Asked how the two looked like, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said: "Do you know a footballer by the name of [Mario] Balotelli?""

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-mario-balotelli-lookalikes-had-stolen-passports-1439638

I was watching the new conference this evening, and I heard him say very clearly, more than once that they did not look Asian. Mario Balotelli doesn't look very Asian either.

[sirineou]

One thing that puzzled me from the start: initially they said the plane was 2 hours into the flight, which would have put it nearer Hainan. But radar sightings just stopped after 40 min. Why the 2 hour claim?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

does a flight start when the plane is airborne, or does it start when it leaves the gate?

[bubba]

In the news conference just held by the Malaysian government, they stated that they were expanding the search area off the west coast of Malaysia. The map they presented showed an area that is far larger than the 100 sqm area at the area where radar contact was lost. The search grid now stretches northwest, all the way up past the northern tip of Sumatra, on a line west of Phuket. That's must be more than an hour's flight time from the original area.

Obviously a 777-200 does not glide that far. I am guessing that Malaysia's military radar must have tracked primary radar returns out into the Andaman, and being military, they don't want to show their hand. It also indicates that if they believe the aircraft could have been intact, out of radio and transponder contact and able to fly perhaps 500 nm, then they must suspect hijacking as a possibility.

If the Malaysian govt really believe it to be on the Wset of Phuket, then it must have flown across Thailand, somewhere around Sonkla perhaps, and at very low altitude, so I'm surprised it was not noticed, either radar or visual....

Also, from the loss of contact location, in that general direction there are a number of offshore Oil & Gas installations, which probably have low altitude radar for their helicopter operations - although of course they were probably not monitored at night or may even have been switched off...?

No, it was off the northern tip of Sumatra. If you drew a line from the last radar fix, that would have put it due west of Phuket by a couple of hundred miles. But it would have flown across all of Malaysia and crossed the coast north of Klang.

[Chicog]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

No shows are common but failing to board after checking in is unusual.

This was tightened up after the bomb that took down Korean Airlines 858. The (North Korean agent) bombers left the bomb on the plane and got off in Abu Dhabi. They were traced to Bahrain, and tried to commit suicide with cyanide laced cigarettes. The old man died and young girl survived.

As of now no aircraft is supposed to take off with bags that do not belong to the passengers on board.

[Jussie]

I saw a similar article online a few days ago and keep wondering why its not being taken into some consideration.
Then again, even if this was what happened, there would still be debris, not so?
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/07/us-korea-north-china-idUSBREA260CV20140307

[sirchai]

I saw a similar article online a few days ago and keep wondering why its not being taken into some consideration.

Then again, even if this was what happened, there would still be debris, not so?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/07/us-korea-north-china-idUSBREA260CV20140307

I'm pretty sure that it's taken into "some" consideration by the Military.

China voices 'deep concern' to North Korea over plane near-miss

[sirchai]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

No shows are common but failing to board after checking in is unusual.

This was tightened up after the bomb that took down Korean Airlines 858. The (North Korean agent) bombers left the bomb on the plane and got off in Abu Dhabi. They were traced to Bahrain, and tried to commit suicide with cyanide laced cigarettes. The old man died and young girl survived.

As of now no aircraft is supposed to take off with bags that do not belong to the passengers on board.

But you could easily place some C 4 somewhere in the toilet and leave the plane before detonation.

[Basil B]

I saw a similar article online a few days ago and keep wondering why its not being taken into some consideration.

Then again, even if this was what happened, there would still be debris, not so?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/07/us-korea-north-china-idUSBREA260CV20140307

I understand China sent a top diplomat to voice their concern, Kim wrote back to the Chines to thank them for sending the diplomat as his pet dogs really liked him.

[speedtripler]

Thanks to everyone for clearing up the "red dotted line" flightpath questions.

Yes, this is getting stranger and stranger by the hour. I don't think the passengers who failed to board is much of an issue as I've been on a couple of flights with passengers who've failed to board without causing much of a delay. Maybe a family problem, unexpected death or similar event.

My heart goes out to the families of these passengers and crew as not knowing what happened, this makes closure impossible.

No shows are common but failing to board after checking in is unusual.

This was tightened up after the bomb that took down Korean Airlines 858. The (North Korean agent) bombers left the bomb on the plane and got off in Abu Dhabi. They were traced to Bahrain, and tried to commit suicide with cyanide laced cigarettes. The old man died and young girl survived.

As of now no aircraft is supposed to take off with bags that do not belong to the passengers on board.

But you could easily place some C 4 somewhere in the toilet and leave the plane before detonation.

toilets have been redesigned ,there is not really anyway to hide anything now

even the panels are alarmed if you had tools onboard to remove them

[Tchooptip]

If you said so it must be true!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549

Is what true? Your a man of few words

But if by your link you mean to show it is possible to ditch

a commercial airliner safely on a body of water you will need a better link/example

Instead you are asking to compare the safe ditching of a low & slow aircraft

( 3 minutes into flight @ highest elevation of 3000', speed 185 knots increasing to 210 during decent

onto a calm body of water ...the Hudson river)

To a flight that is at 35,000' elevation & if ditching would be ditching into open seas

with swells/chop of who knows how tall? What kind of speed you suppose they would have attained

dropping from 35,000' in an emergency?

Anything is possible but likely is another story. All I was saying is unlikely

to fall from 35,000' safely into an open ocean.

Even the example you cited was called it the

"Miracle on the Hudson"

"It was described by NTSB board member Kitty Higgins as "the most successful ditching in aviation history."

So they seem to agree what you cited was a miracle & the most successful in history.

But in a much less altitude/airspeed/type of water landing. So not a great comparison if that was your intent

At the end of the day lets just hope there is a miracle & all these folks are safely back on the ground. That

would be Great!

The structure is just not stiff enough to survive the impact generated when the airplane touches water, even supposing that it comes in at a relatively favourable angle and airspeed. Wy not in the link?

The engines in their usual hanging construction provide an immediate anchor effect that will drag the cabin down. It seems not for this plane on the river ?

Which is why I usually smile when they do their bit before take off telling you how to use a life vest. I guess some of the passenger from this floating plane were happy to have a life vest

Something is going to catch if not an engine as you said a wing tip etc. & it is going to tumble & tear itself apart. The link does not show that.

So I summarise here in a few words what I have seen in the link, compared to what I have read here before, and that does not really fit, but I am far from a specialist in this field unlike you maybe?

Plus to be honest I do not really care who is right...or not. Have a good day

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

'We have to find the aircraft': Days later, no sign of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

By Saeed Ahmed, CNN

updated 9:39 AM EDT, Mon March 10, 2014

(CNN) -- With lead after lead failing to pan out, search and rescue officials said Monday they will expand the search area for the Malaysia Airlines aircraft that vanished three days ago.

The newly expanded search area encompasses a larger portion of the Gulf of Thailand between Malaysia and Vietnam, said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director general of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Department.

Nearly three dozen aircraft and 40 ships from 10 countries have so far failed to find any sign of the aircraft.

An oil slick that searchers had thought might be from the plane turned out to be fuel oil typically used in cargo ships, according to Rahman.

Other leads -- reports that a plane door and its tail had been spotted -- turned out to be untrue, he said at an earlier briefing.

MORE:

And somehow, Yingluck appears to have made it onto CNN commenting on this:

The passports were reportedly stolen in Thailand, and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra told CNN's "Amanpour" on Monday that police are investigating.

"Initially we don't know about their nationality yet," she said. "But we gave orders for the police to investigate the passport users. Because this is very important to Thailand, to give full cooperation to Interpol in the investigation about the passport users. We are now following this.

[baneko]

The electric car story is daft. All over the news a plane dissapears rather than paying them off. Hostage and flying below radar daft again. Its a 777 not a Mig fighter.

The plane disinegated in mid air due to a tail scraper poorly repaired or to a failure in maintenane. Many people have said MA are cutting costs due to AA.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[iancnx]

The electric car story is daft. All over the news a plane dissapears rather than paying them off. Hostage and flying below radar daft again. Its a 777 not a Mig fighter.

The plane disinegated in mid air due to a tail scraper poorly repaired or to a failure in maintenane. Many people have said MA are cutting costs due to AA.

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Uuuuuhuhhhhh,

And the wreckage vaporised I suppose?

[Tywais]

"The Malaysian aviation chief dismissed earlier reports that the two were Asian-looking but refused to elaborate.

"I can confirm that he is not a Malaysian, but cannot divulge which country he is from yet," he said, hinting that revealing their identity could hinder the investigation.

Asked how the two looked like, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said: "Do you know a footballer by the name of [Mario] Balotelli?""

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-mario-balotelli-lookalikes-had-stolen-passports-1439638

I was watching the new conference this evening, and I heard him say very clearly, more than once that they did not look Asian. Mario Balotelli doesn't look very Asian either.

UPDATE [8:38pm]: In a just concluded press conference, authorities said they are investigating possibility that two dubious passengers are part of a stolen passport syndicate.

Department of Civil Aviation Director-General Azharuddin Abdul Rahman confirmed the men DID NOT look Asian. Asked what they looked like, he replied: "Do you know Balotelli (the famous Italian footballer). They look like Balotelli."

Yahoo Singapore

[Basil B]

That is an even bigger fantasy than me winning the UK Lottery. N Korea attack a Beijing bound plane? Come on!

Intentionally, No, I do not think they could hit a barn door at 100 yards, but one day they are bound to hit something...

[3NUMBAS]

they had Mohawk haircuts ? thats a giveaway for sure ,can a PP photo show a mohawk haircut ?

?