Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 (Boeing 777) To Bejing Vanishes, 239 People on Board

[bran]

according to an official it looks like the plane disintegrated at 35,000 feet.

http://news.yahoo.com/missing-malaysian-jet-may-disintegrated-mid-air-source-002831393--sector.html

"The fact that we are unable to find any debris so far appears to indicate that the aircraft is likely to have disintegrated at around 35,000 feet," said the source.

Asked about the possibility of an explosion, such as a bomb, the source said there was no evidence yet of foul play and that the aircraft could have broken up due to mechanical causes.

still,the source said the closest parallels were the explosion on board an Air India jetliner in 1985 when it was over the Atlantic Ocean and the Lockerbie air disaster in 1988. Both planes were cruising at around 31,000 feet when bombs exploded on board.

such a shame and a horrible event.

Edited March 10, 2014 by bran

[ZoSoRose]

This is so sad =/

[James Bond]

That's crazy to think about. Saying it disappeared is quite unnerving, namely to think of how something like a huge airliner can go off the grid in this day and age. Even more unnerving is imaging you were a passeneger and suddenly the plane just disintegrates.

[Val22]

Another sad story. I feel so bad for the families who may have lost loved ones.

This has to be a nightmare waiting for word.

I also think a plane crash is damn scary.

[Lio]

People on Reddit are speculating that the stolen passports could've been used for human trafficking as opposed to terrorism - apparently that's been an issue on flights before. Not sure what I believe, just pointing that argument out.

I was thinking something along those lines as well. Stolen passports could be used for a myriad of reasons other than terrorism.

Apparently one of the stolen passports was used by a 19 year old Iranian who wanted to obtain political asylum in Germany. He had no ties with terrorist organizations.

Edited March 11, 2014 by Lio

[Axl_morris]

Ok its less and less likely this was a terroist incident.

And its more clear that the plane turned around.

Is there not any more than one means off communicating with Air traffic control? Surely if you lose contact there is a back up.

Are the blckboxes not giving off radio signals, why are these not located?

Edited March 11, 2014 by Axl_morris

[downzy]

If this happened six years ago, I can only imagine all the Lost memes this incident would provoke.

[arnold layne]

This is scarily fascinating. How can there not be a reason? We live in 2014 where technology has the capability of pinpointing anyone from anywhere.

What a captivating scenario.

[Val22]

God I hope they find this plane to give the families closure. I can't imagine what they are feeling right now.

I don't understand how a huge plane can just disappear. Didn't anyone have time to get on their cell phones? This is very weird.

[Lio]

You can help look for the plane on satellite pictures via www.tomnod.com. Apparently ten thousands of people are trying to locate the plane/debris/raft... Imagine finding it like that...

[Axl_morris]

Best theory ive heard yet.

There was a depressurisation in the cabin, and the pilot tried to set coordiantes back around, but as the plane was turning, they lost oxygen and past out. 3000 miles of fuel would take them as far as the indian ocean.

[Ace Nova]

I spoke to my brother in law about this yesterday. He just recently retired from the Air Force. While in the Air Force, his primary job was to fly in the refueling plane...it's basically a converted passenger aircraft. He said that these planes are in constant communication (electronically) with the ground. They know exactly what altitude the plane is at, speed, air pressure, etc. at all times. He basically said that in order for it to "vanish" like it did would mean the plane disintegrated abruptly in flight.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Kasanova King

[Axl_morris]

I spoke to my brother in law about this yesterday. He just recently retired from the Air Force. While in the Air Force, his primary job was to fly in the refueling plane...it's basically a converted passenger aircraft. He said that these planes are in constant communication (electronically) with the ground. They know exactly what altitude the plane is at, speed, airpressure, etc. at all times. He basically said that in order for it to "vanish" like it did would mean the plane disintegrated abruptly in flight.

Could the pilot have turned these off?

[Ace Nova]

Could the pilot have turned these off?

I don't think so. Everything I've read about it so far states that the plane was still within a strong radar range....and it "vanished" from radar.

We went on to speculate on possible theories and he more or less ruled out a missile strike....he basically said a missile strike wouldn't just blow a plane of that size up like you see on tv and in movies. Most missiles would have honed in on the engines of the plane, destroying them, causing it to crash, etc...but it wouldn't just have "vanished" like it did. He went on to say how something about the air pressure at that altitude wouldn't let the plane just blow up from an outside strike....but a bomb on the inside would.

[Axl_morris]

if he crashed into the water, we would have floating wreckage and rader detections.

If he flew it anywhere off course, there would be radar detections/scrambled air craft from any countries.

This might sound rediculous but could he have taken the plane to a higher altitute to avoid radar, or a really low altitude. But if suicide was the purpose why would he need to hide the location.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Axl_morris

[arnold layne]

Scooby Doo, where are you?

[WTF?]

God I hope they find this plane to give the families closure. I can't imagine what they are feeling right now.

I don't understand how a huge plane can just disappear. Didn't anyone have time to get on their cell phones? This is very weird.

the plane was abducted by Aliens?

[Ace Nova]

This might sound rediculous but could he have taken the plane to a higher altitute to avoid radar, or a really low altitude. But if suicide was the purpose why would he need to hide the location.

It's really bizarre. I think the electronic communications would have alerted land if the plane increased or decreased in altitude....everything I've read states that the plane "vanished" at 35,000 feet.

At this point, sadly enough, everything seems to point to a bomb or something that would cause the plane to disintegrate rapidly.

[bran]

maybe there was something wrong, the pilot knew it and tried to turn around but it was too late and something faulty caused the plane to explode.

[Ace Nova]

This latest article from CNN: is saying that the plane went hundreds of miles off course then "vanished" at 35,000 feet.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/11/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/

It's speculating several scenarios....some of them being that the plane was hijacked....the hijackers had a bomb....and you can figure out the rest. Other theories are that the plane may have completely lost power....then the pilots (using backup power) tried to get it to an airport they knew vs. the closest one.... but ran out of backup power in the process. (Doesn't make too much sense, imo)

Out of those two theories....I find the first one to be more credible....I would think that any experienced pilot would get the plane to the closest possible airport if the plane lost power...no?

And like AxlMorris mentioned....apparently someone may have intentionally turned off the plane's transponder.

Quoted from the article:

(CNN) -- It was 1:30 a.m. when Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 lost all communications, including important transponder signals that send data on altitude, direction and speed. Still, it showed up on radar for about 1 hour, 10 minutes longer -- until it vanished, having apparently moved away from its intended destination, hundreds of miles off course.

Those details -- told to CNN by a senior Malaysian air force official, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media -- seemingly shed more light on what happened to the aircraft that mysteriously went missing early Saturday.

But if these assertions are true -- and other reports, citing a different Malaysian official, cast doubt on them -- many big questions remain. Why were the communications lost? Why was the Boeing 777 going the direction it was? And where did it end up?

"Something happened to that airplane, that was obviously out of the norm, that caused it to depart from its normal flight path," said Mark Weiss, a former 777 pilot now with the Washington-based Spectrum Group consulting firm. "... It's difficult not to speculate."

Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, thinks all this information -- if correct -- ominously suggests that someone purposefully cut off the transponder and steered the plane from its intended destination.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Kasanova King

[bran]

This latest article from CNN: is saying that the plane went hundreds of miles off course then "vanished" at 35,000 feet.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/11/world/asia/malaysia-airlines-plane/

It's speculating several scenarios....some of them being that the plane was hijacked....the hijackers had a bomb....and you can figure out the rest. Other theories are that the plane may have completely lost power....then the pilots (using backup power) tried to get it to an airport they knew vs. the closest one.... but ran out of backup power in the process. (Doesn't make too much sense, imo)

Out of those two theories....I find the first one to be more credible....I would think that any experienced pilot would get the plane to the closest possible airport if the plane lost power...no?

And like AxlMorris mentioned....apparently someone may have intentionally turned off the plane's transponder.

Quoted from the article:

(CNN) -- It was 1:30 a.m. when Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 lost all communications, including important transponder signals that send data on altitude, direction and speed. Still, it showed up on radar for about 1 hour, 10 minutes longer -- until it vanished, having apparently moved away from its intended destination, hundreds of miles off course.

Those details -- told to CNN by a senior Malaysian air force official, who declined to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media -- seemingly shed more light on what happened to the aircraft that mysteriously went missing early Saturday.

But if these assertions are true -- and other reports, citing a different Malaysian official, cast doubt on them -- many big questions remain. Why were the communications lost? Why was the Boeing 777 going the direction it was? And where did it end up?

"Something happened to that airplane, that was obviously out of the norm, that caused it to depart from its normal flight path," said Mark Weiss, a former 777 pilot now with the Washington-based Spectrum Group consulting firm. "... It's difficult not to speculate."

Peter Goelz, former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, thinks all this information -- if correct -- ominously suggests that someone purposefully cut off the transponder and steered the plane from its intended destination.

i dont know it just sounds like a hijacking or something. the transponder goes out but still stays on radar for over an hour, it just sounds like it was cut on purpose. in a way it reminds me of what happened on 9/11 with the plane that was hijacked and the transponder cut, then it u turned and i think crashed into the pentagon.

Edited March 12, 2014 by bran

[Axl_morris]

Personally I don't believe it was intended to blow up where it did. If terrorists took over why would they take it of course and blow it up? Why not just blow it up.

They may have tried to take over the plane by flying it back to crash it into a target but the passenger fought back, like flight 93 and it was either blown up in the air or they sky dived crashed at 500mph into the water.

Wouldn't explain no distress call though. There is evidence of the pilot being lax and smoking and having woman in the cabin during the whole flight in the past. This suggests he's a bit of a ladies man and hardly someone whos suicidle. Of course we dont know about the other pilot.

Either way I reckon we know about 15% of the information of what the CIA know, and these people will have a better understanding than the media lets on.

[bran]

Personally I don't believe it was intended to blow up where it did. If terrorists took over why would they take it of course and blow it up? Why not just blow it up.

They may have tried to take over the plane by flying it back to crash it into a target but the passenger fought back, like flight 93 and it was either blown up in the air or they sky dived crashed at 500mph into the water.

Wouldn't explain no distress call though. There is evidence of the pilot being lax and smoking and having woman in the cabin during the whole flight in the past. This suggests he's a bit of a ladies man and hardly someone whos suicidle. Of course we dont know about the other pilot.

Either way I reckon we know about 15% of the information of what the CIA know, and these people will have a better understanding than the media lets on.

maybe the pilot refused to follow orders?

[Val22]

The Chinese said today that one of their space satellites spotted debris and it could be parts of the plane. They were checking it out.

There will probably be some more news tomorrow since it's already tomorrow in China now.

[Axl_morris]

^ some info on skynews.com confirming this. Saying it was found in part of the original search area south of vietnam.

3 parts found, largest 24m x 22m.

Edited March 12, 2014 by Axl_morris