Missing Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 239 triggers Southeast Asia search

[Mosha]

What are the chances of two stolen passports, both stolen at separate times and places, of accidentally turning up on board the same downed aircraft ?

The work of Chinese ethnic separatist groups maybe ? A lot more to come on this story.

It would be interesting if they were not familiar with the booking system. Did they book the flight as CZ748 expecting a Chinese carrier?

[Lite Beer]

Mystery over passenger IDs as search resumes for Malaysia jet


Malaysian Airlines senior officials Dr Hugh Dunleavy © and Ignatius Ong ® with an unidentified translator (L) face the Chinese media after arriving in China to deal with the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 plane, in Beijing Saturday. @AFP

HANOI, March 9, 2014 (AFP) - Mystery surrounded the identity of two passengers who appear to have used stolen European passports to board a Malaysian Airlines jet that vanished carrying 239 people, as the search for the aircraft failed to yield a breakthrough Sunday.

More than 30 hours after air traffic control lost communication with the Boeing 777, concerns were mounting over the possible security breach, as authorities in Southeast Asia said there was still no sign of the plane after the search resumed at sea.

Flight MH370 disappeared about an hour after leaving Kuala Lumpur en route to the Chinese capital. A total of 153 Chinese nationals were on board, and anguished relatives camped out at Beijing airport bemoaned the lack of news Sunday.

"The airline company didn't contact me, it was a friend," a middle-aged woman surnamed Nan told reporters, holding back tears, after finding out her brother-in-law was on the flight.

"I can't understand the airline company. They should have contacted the families first thing. I don't have any news. I'm very worried," she said.

Vietnamese boats reached the scene of two large oil slicks detected overnight but found no sign of the plane, army deputy chief of staff Vo Van Tuan told AFP early Sunday, adding search aircraft were deployed at first light to scour the area.

The passenger jet slipped off radar screens somewhere between Malaysia's east coast and southern Vietnam early Saturday morning.

However, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman of Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation said he "could not confirm" the existence of the oil slicks.

"The rescue operation continued last night until this morning...we have not been able to locate or see anything," he told a news conference on Sunday.

Asked about the stolen passports, he said "we are investigating this at the moment" but declined to give further details.

An Austrian named Christian Kozel had his passport stolen in Thailand in 2012, while Italian Luigi Maraldi lost his to theft last year, also in Thailand, officials and reports.

Despite their names being on the passenger manifest, neither man was on the plane to Beijing, officials said.

In Washington, a US administration official said authorities were aware of the passports issue.

"We have not determined a nexus to terrorism yet, although it's still very early and that's by no means definitive. We're still tracking the situation," the official said.

Earlier, when asked whether terrorism could have been a factor, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said: "We are looking at all possibilities but it is too soon to speculate."


-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-03-09

[Tayida]

The work of Chinese ethnic separatist groups maybe ?.

Coma this is my idea.......a sort of revenge from the Uliguri group.

[harrry]

Now this is also interesting due to the location being 180 degrees out of

the flight path....

"UPDATE [8.30am]: Bernama reports the Department of Civil Aviation will extend the search and rescue operation to the Straits of Malacca, Malaysian authorities are now awaiting the latest satellite imagery for any signs of wreckage from flight MH370."

Source...http://my.news.yahoo.com/mas-aircraft-goes-missing--says-airline-023820132.html

sorry...

[Lite Beer]

Two more Europeans passengers with suspect identities onboard missing MH370

Authorities have yet to confirm the identities of two more European passengers on flight MH370, adding to two others using stolen passports in the Malaysia Airlines plane which vanished over the Malaysia-Vietnam maritime border yesterday.

The Malaysian Insider understands that all four had bought their flight tickets from China Southern Airlines, the Malaysia Airlines codeshare partner for the Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route.

"The background checks with the embassies are being done but these two cannot be confirmed," a source told The Malaysian Insider, adding that both were from the same country.

The Daily Telegraph's Beijing correspondent Malcolm Moore wrote in his Twitter microblog that the Chinese airline had sold seven tickets for the redeye flight, which carried 239 people, including 12 crew members, when it vanished.

Read More: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/two-more-europeans-passengers-with-suspect-identities-onboard-missing-mh370

--The Malaysian Insider 2014-03-09

[sirchai]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_370

[sunshine51]

Now this is also interesting due to the location being 180 degrees out of

the flight path....

"UPDATE [8.30am]: Bernama reports the Department of Civil Aviation will extend the search and rescue operation to the Straits of Malacca, Malaysian authorities are now awaiting the latest satellite imagery for any signs of wreckage from flight MH370."

Source...http://my.news.yahoo.com/mas-aircraft-goes-missing--says-airline-023820132.html

sorry...

That's OK Harry....here's more including the latest update...

UPDATE [10.15am]: CNN’s Christine Amanpour reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is sending its agents to Malaysia “to support the investigation into the disappearance of Flight MH370”. Full report here.

UPDATE [9.55am]: An aviation lawyer said the lack of warnings about a problem aboard the flight suggests a catastrophic failure, possibly due to lack of pressurisation or electrical failure. Read it here.

UPDATE [9.12am]: Department of Cvil Aviation says overnight search and rescue found no sign of aircraft wreckage. Mission enters day two with three aircrafts.

Authorities have yet to confirm the identities of two more European passengers on flight MH370 using stolen passports, bringing the total to four suspect identities allegedly onboard. Read the full story here.

UPDATE [8.30am]: Bernama reports the Department of Civil Aviation will extend the search and rescue operation to the Straits of Malacca, Malaysian authorities are now awaiting the latest satellite imagery for any signs of wreckage from flight MH370.

UPDATE [7:20am]: Round-up of the first 30 hours, including background, relatives' reactions and social media chatter. Read it here.

UPDATE [6:02am]: Associated Press runs an analysis on why MH370 could've disappeared. Experts assume that whatever happened was quick and left no time for pilots to react. Read the full analysis here.

[harrry]

Stolen IDs are suspicious but it must be remembered that the use of false passports by Security Agencies of many countries is common. There was a case a few years ago when the misuse of Australian passports for this was found. This may or may not be a reason for the Malasian authorities downplaying the signifigence.

Early days and lots of theories to flow under the bridge yet.

Again my sympathies to the families of all concerned.

[steven100]

Two more Europeans passengers with suspect identities onboard missing MH370

Authorities have yet to confirm the identities of two more European passengers on flight MH370, adding to two others using stolen passports in the Malaysia Airlines plane which vanished over the Malaysia-Vietnam maritime border yesterday.

The Malaysian Insider understands that all four had bought their flight tickets from China Southern Airlines, the Malaysia Airlines codeshare partner for the Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route.

"The background checks with the embassies are being done but these two cannot be confirmed," a source told The Malaysian Insider, adding that both were from the same country.

The Daily Telegraph's Beijing correspondent Malcolm Moore wrote in his Twitter microblog that the Chinese airline had sold seven tickets for the redeye flight, which carried 239 people, including 12 crew members, when it vanished.

Read More: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/two-more-europeans-passengers-with-suspect-identities-onboard-missing-mh370

--The Malaysian Insider 2014-03-09

This is getting to be more suspect by the minute .... two more passengers with suspect identities.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This is all more than a little unsettling...

First, everytime the Vietnamese authorities say something, the Malaysian authorities say they can't confirm it or verify it.

And now, the MAS exec seems to be dismissing the 2-4 wrong identity passengers issue. Well, even if that ends up having nothing to do with the crash, the fact the airline is allowing false passengers onto its flights apparently so easily ought to be a big cause for concern, regardless. It certainly tends to suggest that their security measures are horrible.

[weegee]

The aerial photo of the Oil Slick, to me, looks more like the usual slime floating in the oceans here, after ships have washed out their tanks and pumped them over the side.....

[sirchai]

The aerial photo of the Oil Slick, to me, looks more like the usual slime floating in the oceans here, after ships have washed out their tanks and pumped them over the side.....

Agreed and it wouldn't look like them, if the aircraft decompressed through an explosion, or any malfunction that made a hole in the plane.

Not even an emergency landing on the sea would leave such oil slicks. Not as flat as the Hudson river.

[CLUBBER]

Interesting to note so far both MAS and the International media are reluctant to weigh into the possibility that two-imposters boarded the aircraft on false passports alternatively preferring to point fingers at two-oil slicks while circling in a plane. What has been so disappointing with MAS search & rescue plan is that they have been so slow to react which can only be a reflection upon they had no or verry little plan to begin with. Plenty of talk: no action.

I just heard on BBC that the US navy and Singapore navy were sending ships into the area to join the search maybe this will help MAS speed things up . Such a horrible story I cant imagine what the families are going through . I just hope its not what everyone is suspecting was the cause , prayers to all involved

[phuketrichard]

turn on BBC if u have true vision, channel 89i

interesting discussion

[phuketrichard]

"the aircraft simply disappeared"

[techboy]

....prior mention by someone that this exact plane had a damaged tail repaired in 2012......

...has that now been suppressed...???

Yeah well- The media finding a repair in the aircraft history and trying to initiate a line of conjecture which will sell copy.

[Mosha]

Two more Europeans passengers with suspect identities onboard missing MH370

Authorities have yet to confirm the identities of two more European passengers on flight MH370, adding to two others using stolen passports in the Malaysia Airlines plane which vanished over the Malaysia-Vietnam maritime border yesterday.

The Malaysian Insider understands that all four had bought their flight tickets from China Southern Airlines, the Malaysia Airlines codeshare partner for the Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route.

"The background checks with the embassies are being done but these two cannot be confirmed," a source told The Malaysian Insider, adding that both were from the same country.

The Daily Telegraph's Beijing correspondent Malcolm Moore wrote in his Twitter microblog that the Chinese airline had sold seven tickets for the redeye flight, which carried 239 people, including 12 crew members, when it vanished.

Read More: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/two-more-europeans-passengers-with-suspect-identities-onboard-missing-mh370

--The Malaysian Insider 2014-03-09

This is getting to be more suspect by the minute .... two more passengers with suspect identities.

BBC has just said "All 4 suspect passengers booked the flight through China Southern." The codeshare flight.CZ748

[mania]

Couple of things I wonder about,

Like others have said the lack of any SOS may indicate catastrophic failure.

But at the same time if an explosion it would create so much debris with plane parts,baggage etc

surely something would be seen floating in the area they seem to be focused.

The other thing I wonder is when leaving a country on a foreign passport don't they

always take your picture? Which would mean they also have photos of the two that used the stolen passports.

I can understand though how they may not be willing to release that info yet.

[krisb]

The aerial photo of the Oil Slick, to me, looks more like the usual slime floating in the oceans here, after ships have washed out their tanks and pumped them over the side.....

And surely there would be some debris around right?

[sirchai]

Interesting to read about a Dutch national:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/08/malaysian-airlines-plane-live

Nationalities of those on board

Just to recap on the details given earlier by the airline. Here are the number of passengers from each country believed to make up the 227 on board:

China: 153

Malaysia: 38

Indonesia: 12

Australia: 7

US: 4

France: 3

New Zealand: 2

Ukraine: 2

Canada: 2

Italy, Taiwan, Netherlands, Austria: 1 each

[laolover88]

They have the passenger manifest. They will also have the boarding card and seating records. Also the baggage checks.Wonder if these apparent impostors checked in together and or were sitting together? Presumably the passports were scanned and presumably passport control checked the immigration/emigration stamps? PS Can the crew or other person on aplane 'cloak' it by turning everything off? Lots more to know.

[fatdrunkandstupid]

Hmmm. I wonder if the two stolen passports issue is just monkeys bangin on typewriters.

I mean, if all of the passengers on ANY commercial flight where put under the microscope wouldn't one always find a couple of dodgy passports?

The boeing 777 was reportedly carrying 239 passengers. So 2/239x100 = 0.836 %.

Yep that sounds about right to me...a bit under 1% of the passegers on any flight have dodgy passports.

Of course one could also argue that the percentage of dodgy passports on a flight could also be higher in third world and developing countries.

[Mosha]

Hmmm. I wonder if the two stolen passports issue is just monkeys bangin on typewriters.

I mean, if all of the passengers on ANY commercial flight where put under the microscope wouldn't one always find a couple of dodgy passports?

The boeing 777 was reportedly carrying 239 passengers. So 2/239x100 = 0.836 %.

Yep that sounds about right to me...a bit under 1% of the passegers on any flight have dodgy passports.

Of course one could also argue that the percentage of dodgy passports on a flight could also be higher in third world and developing countries.

As I said on the previous page. 4 suspect passengers now, who all booked through China Southern. The codeshare partner.

[Lite Beer]

RT@mpoppel: REU: TRANSPORT MINISTER SAYS SEARCH AREA EXPANDED DUE TO POSSIBILITY THE MISSING AIRCRAFT TURNED BACK

RT@mpoppel: REU: MALAYSIA TRANSPORT MINISTER SAYS INVESTIGATORS CHECKING ENTIRE PASSENGER MANIFEST

[steven100]

Just received a report.

10:30am. Malaysian Transport Minister confirms the search has been extended as they are looking into the possibility of an aircraft ' turnback ' and as such will widen & extend the search area. Furthermore, the Vietnamese authorities are investigating the oil slick to determine exactly what the substance is. The agency and authorities are working with CTU's ( counter terrorism units ) around the region as we speak to investigate the stolen passport and suspect individuals.

[sirchai]

Just received a report.

10:30am. Malaysian Transport Minister confirms the search has been extended as they are looking into the possibility of an aircraft ' turnback ' and as such will widen & extend the search area. Furthermore, the Vietnamese authorities are investigating the oil slick to determine exactly what the substance is. The agency and authorities are working with CTU's ( counter terrorism units ) around the region as we speak to investigate the stolen passport and suspect individuals.

Wouldn't a pilot report such a decision as an emergency to ground control, considering that they could send a Mayday..

Plenty of time for the pilots? Don't think so..-

http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/stolen-passports-used-on-malaysian-airlines-flight-1-3333346

[harrry]

http://my.news.yahoo.com/video/mh370-incident-1030am-023500698.html

contains a news report video and some further Information ...includes FBI will assist.

[Lite Beer]

FBI to probe missing Malaysia plane

WASHINGTON: -- The FBI is sending agents and technical experts to assist a team probing the disappearances of a Malaysia Airlines jet that had several Americans aboard, US media reported Saturday.

US officials told The Los Angeles Times that they are trying to determine whether there was any terror link to what caused Flight 370 to go missing as it carried 239 people from Kuala Lumpur toward Beijing.

The fact that at least three of the passengers are believed to be Americans "gives us entree" to the case," a top federal law enforcement official told the newspaper.

"But so far, what happened is a mystery."

A US official told CNN that FBI agents stationed at the American Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, including an FBI legal attache, were monitoring the situation closely.

Asked to confirm the reports, an FBI spokesman only replied: "We are ready to assist if needed."

Although two passengers appeared to have been using stolen EU passports, "there is no indication this is a terrorist attack; stolen passports are certainly not indicative of a terrorist attack," a senior counterterrorism official told the Times.

The official stressed there was "no evidence" of terrorism thus far.

According to the federal law enforcement official, FBI personnel will help review video of the Kuala Lumpur airport for images of passengers at the ticket counter, security sections and the boarding area. The agents would then use counterterrorism technology to find any possible matches with known members of Al-Qaeda or other terror groups.

And the US National Transportation Safety Board may also join the investigation "because the jet was built by Boeing in this country," the law enforcement official said.

The stolen passports used by two passengers on the plane are believed to have come from an Italian and a an Austrian.

"Just because they were stolen doesn’t mean the travelers were terrorists," a Department of Homeland Security official said. "They could have been nothing more than thieves. Or they could have simply bought the passports on the black market."

-- The Nation 2014-03-09

[onewhowalkswithbuffalo]

So sad, I don't believe their kids were with them. My thoughts go out to those kids.

[harrry]

FBI to probe missing Malaysia plane

......edited as unrelated to my post..........

The stolen passports used by two passengers on the plane are believed to have come from an Italian and a an Austrian.

"Just because they were stolen doesn’t mean the travelers were terrorists," a Department of Homeland Security official said. "They could have been nothing more than thieves. Or they could have simply bought the passports on the black market."

-- The Nation 2014-03-09

Strange to see the way that the passports are being downplayed everywhere....especially by organisations usually not known for jumping to innocent conclusions,.