Missing Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 239 triggers Southeast Asia search

[sustento]

both passports stolen in Thailand...although the individuals/owners not connected.. the tragedy appears to have some similarities with CI611 ( the China Airlies Taipei-Hong Kong (very old) 747. Blew apart without warning over water, no time for any warning. Prematute to speculate

You got that bit right at least.

[F430murci]

The circumstances remind me on the Air France tragedy

AF 447 Air France from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, 1. June 2009

I disagree. AF crash was due to an unrecoverable descent due to an "aerodynamic stall" following conflicting airspeed measurements, most likely due to blocked pitot tubes. AF involved design flaw, and pilot training and response . All indications to date suggest to a different cause for the MAS crash.

Note the following incident; A taxiing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 passenger plane (9M-MRO), flight MH389, contaced the tail of a China Eastern Airlines A340 plane, B-6050, waiting on the taxiway at Pudong International Airport.No one was injured.The tip of the wing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was broken off and hung on the tail of the China Eastern Airbus 340-600, according to pictures posted by passengers on the Internet.

Other reliable incident reports the structural damage as "substantial"

The French air safety monitor filed this in its log http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/2012/2012.semaine.32.pdf

A BOEING 777-200 9M-MRO AD Shanghai Pudong - Chine Inconnu0 0 26N3on déterminé TP Collision au sol entre deux avions

The translation of the event is collision on the ground between 2 airplanes. The Chinese civilian aviation authority was the investigating agency.

If there was structural separation/disintegration, no amount of pilot training or pilot competency will help. The maintenance records and certification of the MAS equipment following the repair will be a major focus of the investigation. Once the plane is recovered, the remaining structure it will be much easier to determine the probable cause of the crash compared to the AF incident which was far more difficult to ascertain. Fortunately, Boeing and its US regulator will be involved and there should be reliable disclosure as I the Malaysian civil aviation authority has neither the resources nor experience to run the necessary detailed investigation. (Not a swipe at Malaysia, just the reality as the skill set and competency required is in a small pool of people spread around the world.)

Initially, they thought AF came apart in the sky due to turbulence. Voice recorders showed pilots discussing conflicting instrument reports, stuck shaker and etc., but did not send distress call very similar to this incident. Portions of plane were found with AF and there was much discussion or concern about pitot before boxes were located even though AB tried to say they were addressed.

This 777 disintegrated. There were even large pieces of Flight 800 floating on the surface. Father is retired 727, L1011, DC10 and MD11 pilot for Eastern and FedEx. He says either alien abduction or something blew that thing a part at high altitude. Shoe or toothpaste bomb not do this.

[Chicog]

Not really identical at all.

The AF flight was flying into very bad weather conditions and at night as you say. This flight was in nice weather conditions and daytime. So weather shouldn't be a factor in this case.

Besides that the AF flight was an Airbus and this is a Boing 777, two very different flight control systems.

But something happened very quickly since the flight crew had no time to notify anyone over the radio.

Yes I'm aware of the differences and thank you for stating the obvious.

But let's just wait for the experts to do their job eh?

[bitcoinbob]

the news is reporting it was a terrorist attack from the two stolen passports, both of them stolen in Thailand. Have to believe that because of the spotless record the Boeing aircraft has and just the way it went down with no warning..

[Carib]

http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/en/site/dark-site.html

Malaysia airlines latest info bulletin, no other official statements available at this time.

Everything else is pure speculation.

[Bucko]

How the hell were these two people able to travel on stolen passports--???----

They were reported as stolen--and I would presume were cancelled--But they did--

So if they were " Doctored " somehow--surely that would be false passports ??

It is a worrying prospect if the so -called electronic/chipped document can be falsified

[Noi657]

All I know is if it was a terrorist incident, this is very worrying for the region! Especially if they don't want to be identified!

[Tywais]

This shows that the aircraft reached cruising altitude and settled into the flight.

Another video at this website: Mirror.co.uk

This sinister video shows the moment a Malaysian Airlines passenger jet carrying 239 people vanished from a live online flight tracker.

The footage, taken on a mobile phone, shows flight MH370 leaving Kuala Lumpur and heading towards Vietnam.

But midway over the South China Sea, the plane turns red and suddenly disappears.

It has not been seen or heard from since.

[Tywais]

U.S. Destroyer Joins Hunt For Vanished Malaysia Airlines Flight

The United States has sent a destroyer as part of the massive international search for the vanished Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that carried 239 passengers and may have likely crashed into the ocean

Update 1:23 p.m. EST

The United States dispatched a destroyer to join the massive international search for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 that went missing Saturday morning with 239 on board, as it appeared increasingly likely the plane had crashed into the ocean.

More here - Time.com

[Blackmirage2013]

Hmmm.... read through the comments here and most people are SURPRISED that this situation was SO SUDDEN with NO WARNING.... usually if there was a problem you'd get one SOS from the pilot or some indication that the plane was in trouble, but here there was NOTHING!

So, was it a catastrophe, or hijacking into a clandestine airstrip somewhere off the coast of Vietnam?! Who knows anything!

My guess is that the plane was destroyed - shot down or blown up - in the air and fell into the ocean. Otherwise we would have heard some warning?

[Blackmirage2013]

How the hell were these two people able to travel on stolen passports--???----

They were reported as stolen--and I would presume were cancelled--But they did--

So if they were " Doctored " somehow--surely that would be false passports ??

It is a worrying prospect if the so -called electronic/chipped document can be falsified

Were these two people with stolen passports terrorists or just the recipient of black market passports? I wonder what nationality they were? Can't see two Chinese men with foreign names making through immigration!

This missing plane incident is indeed a mystery.... Where are the Hardy Boys now that we need them?!

[F430murci]

Hmmm.... read through the comments here and most people are SURPRISED that this situation was SO SUDDEN with NO WARNING.... usually if there was a problem you'd get one SOS from the pilot or some indication that the plane was in trouble, but here there was NOTHING!

So, was it a catastrophe, or hijacking into a clandestine airstrip somewhere off the coast of Vietnam?! Who knows anything!

My guess is that the plane was destroyed - shot down or blown up - in the air and fell into the ocean. Otherwise we would have heard some warning?

Easy to track if landed somewhere. This thing came apart at 35k feet.

[NeverSure]

U.S. Destroyer Joins Hunt For Vanished Malaysia Airlines Flight

The United States has sent a destroyer as part of the massive international search for the vanished Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that carried 239 passengers and may have likely crashed into the ocean

Update 1:23 p.m. EST

The United States dispatched a destroyer to join the massive international search for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 that went missing Saturday morning with 239 on board, as it appeared increasingly likely the plane had crashed into the ocean.

More here - Time.com

The United States is also sending a P-3C Orion surveillance plane from Japan to provide long-range search, radar and communications capabilities, the Navy said. MORE-CNN

[davehowden]

"join the massive international search"

No word of Thailand offering any assistance?

[roamer]

How the hell were these two people able to travel on stolen passports--???----

They were reported as stolen--and I would presume were cancelled--But they did--

So if they were " Doctored " somehow--surely that would be false passports ??

It is a worrying prospect if the so -called electronic/chipped document can be falsified

Don't have to be "doctored" beyond possible image change if needed, there is no worldwide list of stolen passports.

[davehowden]

How the hell were these two people able to travel on stolen passports--???----

They were reported as stolen--and I would presume were cancelled--But they did--

So if they were " Doctored " somehow--surely that would be false passports ??

It is a worrying prospect if the so -called electronic/chipped document can be falsified

Don't have to be "doctored" beyond possible image change if needed, there is no worldwide list of stolen passports.

Seems there is an Interpol database of stolen/ lost passports but it was not used.

"the Italian one [passport] had been reported stolen and was in Interpol's database,"

"Additionally, no inquiry was made by Malaysia Airlines to determine if any passengers on the flight were traveling on stolen passports, he said. Many airlines do not check the database, he said."

From here: http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/08/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane-missing/

[quagmirefg]

Thoughts are with the Famalies and Friends of those on board. Hoping for miracles for those presumed lost.

Reports of Stolen Passports of foreigners in Thailand is not a shock.

Thai Authorities do little or nothing to prevent Passport Scams.

Passport security is often a Big Problem in Thailand where many tour and rental agents "Require" a Foreign Passport as "Insurance" when Renting such things as a motorcycle.

Foreigners are often "Forced to either surrender their Passport as "Security Insurance" or Not be able to Rent the motorcycle, car, etc." where the passport could possibly be "Compromised or Stolen" and the passport holder told the entrusted person "Lost" their passport.

Thai Police are notorious for not following thru or properly investigating and resolving crimes in Thailand, leaving these unscrupulous persons free to sell these "Stolen Passports" on the Black Market and continue their illegal activity of demanding Passports as "Security Insurance".

Also Steeling a foreigner's Passport is a big Black Market Business in Thailand.

A couple years ago in a local Farang Pub, I personally witnessed a proclaimed Thai Tour Agent attempting to Steal a Foreigner's Passport from his pants pocket while the foreigner was intoxicated. I intervened and stopped the theft, but I was put in a precarious position of everyone, farang and locals saying "I know that guy" and "he is a good guy and wouldn't do that". Needless to say, I have never seen this "Trusted Person" again on my subsequent visits to that Pub.

I hope this Malaysian Airlines incident was not a Terrorist Act involving the use of Stolen Passports from Thailand.

Thai Authorities should look into measures to properly "Enforce and Prosecute those persons who "Extort or Require" the use of Foreign Passports as a means of "Security Insurance".

Thailand is now in the World Spotlight with suspicions of the Stolen Passports being listed on the Passenger Manifest of the Malaysian Airlines disappearance.

[sustento]

Hmmm.... read through the comments here and most people are SURPRISED that this situation was SO SUDDEN with NO WARNING.... usually if there was a problem you'd get one SOS from the pilot or some indication that the plane was in trouble, but here there was NOTHING!

So, was it a catastrophe, or hijacking into a clandestine airstrip somewhere off the coast of Vietnam?! Who knows anything!

My guess

At least you're honest...

[Lite Beer]

Grave fears for missing Malaysian Airlines jet
The Sunday Nation
Hanoi

A crying woman is escorted to a bus for relatives at the Beijing Airport after news of the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 plane Saturday./AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON

Search launched after contact lost as plane with 239 people neared Ho Chi Minh City; no thais on board

Rescuers from several nations mounted an air and sea search yesterday for a Malaysia Airlines jet that has gone missing over Southeast Asia, with grave fears for the 239 people on board.

Vietnam authorities said contact with Flight MH370 was lost near its airspace, but its exact location and fate remained a mystery more than 14 hours after it slipped off air-traffic control screens.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the plane carried no Thai passengers after examining the passenger list.

Frustrated officials and relatives of passengers struggled to make sense of the disappearance of the Boeing 777-200 which - like the Malaysian national carrier - has a solid safety record.

The airline said the plane, on an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, relayed no distress signal, indications of rough weather, or other signs of trouble.

Asked whether Malaysia was looking at possible terrorism, Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the government was "looking at all possibilities".

"The plane lost contact near Ca Mau province airspace as it was preparing to transfer to Ho Chi Minh City air traffic control," the Vietnamese government said in a statement.

Ca Mau province is in southernmost Vietnam, next to the Cambodian border.

The airline said the plane's last known position was a point about 150 kilometres north of Malaysia's eastern coast.

The disappearance triggered a South China Sea search effort involving vessels from several nations with rival maritime claims to the region.

China, which has 153 of its nationals on the missing plane, said it had ordered maritime patrol vessels to begin scouring the area.

Vietnam's defence ministry launched a rescue mission, the government said, and a Malaysian maritime official said the country had sent several planes and vessels.

The Philippines said it was sending three navy patrol boats and a surveillance plane. Singapore dispatched an air force C130 transporter on a "search and locate mission".

It was not clear if the nations were cooperating.

Overlapping claims to the South China Sea, a resource-rich region and vital shipping lane, have been a growing source of tensions between China and its neighbours.

Contact with the aircraft was lost at 2,40am Malaysian time (1840 GMT Friday), about two hours after take-off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the carrier's CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said.

"Our focus now is to work with emergency responders and authorities, and mobilise full support," he told a press conference, adding the airline's "thoughts and prayers" were with those affected.

If a crash were confirmed, it would be only the second fatal crash in the history of the Boeing 777, a popular wide-body model.

A Boeing 777-200 operated by South Korea's Asiana Airlines skidded off the runway in San Francisco in 2013, killing three.

Indonesia-based aviation analyst Gerry Soejatman said the clock was ticking on a "24-hour golden window" for search and rescue efforts.

"You can't assume that there are no survivors, and if there are any, it is absolutely crucial that they are picked up within a day, or the chances of survival drops significantly," he said.

The plane carried 227 passengers and 12 crew members from 14 nationalities.

The 153 Chinese passengers included an infant, while 38 Malaysians and seven Indonesians were also aboard, the airline said.

Six Australians, four French nationals and three Americans, including an infant, were also among those listed.

Malaysia Airlines has an admirable safety record. Its worst-ever crash occurred in 1977, when 93 passengers and seven crew perished in a hijacking and subsequent crash in southern Malaysia.

The pilot of MH370 had flown for the carrier since 1981, it said. The plane is more than 11 years old.

Hishammuddin, the Malaysian transport minister, said he had no confirmation on the plane's fate.

He said Malaysia was pressing Hanoi for details after state media quoted a Vietnamese naval official as saying it had crashed into the sea.

The lack of information sparked fury among anguished relatives in Beijing.

At Kuala Lumpur International Airport, distraught family members trickled into a designated waiting area for loved ones, escorted by authorities.

-- The Nation 2014-03-09

[sirchai]

Italy's Foreign Ministry said an Italian man who was listed as being a passenger, Luigi Maraldi, was traveling in Thailand and was not aboard the plane. It said he reported his passport stolen last August.

Austria's Foreign Ministry confirmed that a name listed on the manifest matched an Austrian passport reported stolen two years ago in Thailand. It said the Austrian was not on the plane, but would not confirm the person's identity

The lack of a radio call "suggests something very sudden and very violent happened," said William Waldock, who teaches accident investigation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/national_world&id=9457484

Two guys checked in with stolen passports. Neither Interpol checks were made at check in, nor does it make any sense now. Why Two stolen passports from two European countries?

[NeverSure]

UPDATE [11:32am]: VN Express, Vietnam's largest news site, reports that Vietnam Emergency Rescue Center just announced it has found signal of the missing plane at 9.50am 120 miles South West of Ca Mau cape, the Southern-most point of Vietnam.

The signal is believed to be the ELT (Emergency Locator Transmittor) , which can be activated manually by the flight crew or automatically upon impact.

Yahoo News Link

[davehowden]

"The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the plane carried no Thai passengers after examining the passenger list."

So no Thai assistance in the search effort?

[quagmirefg]

*Deleted Posts edited out*

Many criticize the US for it's having and the use of it's advanced technology, but at the same time, especially in times of Crisis, people want and need the Technology and Capability that no other government in the world has.

[sirchai]

http://my.news.yahoo.com/why-malaysia-airlines-jet-might-disappeared-213133681.html

Whatever had happened, it had just began. I only hope that it was over for them in a few seconds. Oh god.-

[Scott]

A number of troll posts, off-topic posts, inflammatory posts and replies have been removed. Please stay on topic.

[Lite Beer]

Missing MAS flight: Two imposters on board plane

PETALING JAYA: An Italian man, whose name was listed as having boarded the MAS flight MH370 that was reported missing on Saturday, was not on board the plane.

According to reports, someone else had used the passport of Luigi Maraldi to board the plane. He is alive and well in Thailand on a holiday.

Italy’s foreign ministry functionary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Maraldi had reported his passport stolen last August.

-- The Nation 2014-03-09

[quagmirefg]

Many Militaries and Governments in S/E Asia would not have the proper equipment or capability of a significant rapid response rescue outside their territorial waters.

The findings of oil slicks is admirable, and it will probably take time for any ships in the area to get to that area or the location of the emergency beacon signal.

Also information to the public will be delayed pending results and any findings by the rescue ships or aircraft.

And daylight for decent visability has just occurred a short time ago.

[chooka]

Missing MAS flight: Two imposters on board plane

PETALING JAYA: An Italian man, whose name was listed as having boarded the MAS flight MH370 that was reported missing on Saturday, was not on board the plane.

According to reports, someone else had used the passport of Luigi Maraldi to board the plane. He is alive and well in Thailand on a holiday.

Italy’s foreign ministry functionary, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Maraldi had reported his passport stolen last August.

-- The Nation 2014-03-09

How does it work when your passport is stolen? Wouldn't you be issued with a new one, with a new number and the old one cancelled so therefore if anyone tried to use it, it would then come up invalid. Just asking as I have no understanding of this procedure.

[stevehaigh]

Hmmm.... read through the comments here and most people are SURPRISED that this situation was SO SUDDEN with NO WARNING.... usually if there was a problem you'd get one SOS from the pilot or some indication that the plane was in trouble, but here there was NOTHING!

So, was it a catastrophe, or hijacking into a clandestine airstrip somewhere off the coast of Vietnam?! Who knows anything!

My guess is that the plane was destroyed - shot down or blown up - in the air and fell into the ocean. Otherwise we would have heard some warning?

Easy to track if landed somewhere. This thing came apart at 35k feet.

even if it did, radar would pick up the pieces falling into the sea. the air France crash over the Atlantic a few years ago was different because there was no radar coverage in the area it went down. here it looks like it was on radar so why no radar track of it going down?

[NeverSure]

*Deleted Posts edited out*

Many criticize the US for it's having and the use of it's advanced technology, but at the same time, especially in times of Crisis, people want and need the Technology and Capability that no other government in the world has.

The destroyer has unbelievable abilities to spot submarines or anything unusual in or on the bottom of the ocean. It is a submarine destroyer which can look out at far distances. It can listen with high tech for signals from the ELTs.

The plane, and I read two of them sent from Japan does long distance surveillance even into the water, can become traffic control for all aircraft in the vicinity, and has many other helpful capabilities.

Much of the technology is secret, but if they can help they will.