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Issue of the day: Confounding mystery of the missing flight
Mourning: Relatives of passengers of a missing plane console each other at a hotel in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on March 9
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span class="inline inline-center">Mourning: Relatives of passengers of a missing plane console each other at a hotel in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on March 9. Military radar indicates that the missing Boeing 777 jet may have turned back before vanishing, the Malaysian air force chief said as the authorities were investigating up to four passengers with suspicious identifications. AP/Joshua Paul
March 9, Online/ANN
How did it go off the radar? Why was there no distress call? Where did it disappear to? That is the mystery of flight MH370. It was heading to Beijing but went missing at 1:30 a.m., less than an hour after it took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
The Boeing 777-200ER did not send out any distress signal and its last known position was 120 nautical miles off Kota Bharu, Malaysia. The plane was due to arrive in Beijing at 6:30 a.m.
Until late last night, no signs of oil slicks or debris had been detected, though international search and rescue teams had scoured the sea to locate the aircraft since 1 p.m. yesterday. Aviation experts are puzzled about how the aircraft ' considered one of the world's safest jets ' could have vanished without a trace.
Your comments:
Perhaps they should look away from the sea. The plane may have landed on an uninhabited island nearby. Twenty-four hours without any sign of wreckage may be good news!
Galileo
I am thinking that this may be linked to the recent attack on a train station in China. The Chinese may have received a recent bomb threat but decided to stay quiet. I hope I am wrong though.
Kortslet
I do not know what the aviation laws are in Malaysia, but four weeks ago I took a domestic flight in Indonesia and cell phones of any type were prohibited to be even turned on during flight.
There were passengers using their cell phones during my flight and those passengers were requested by flight attendants to turn them off.
As for the currently missing Malaysia Airlines flight: as of this hour, there is suspicion from aviation professionals that there was an explosion that destroyed the airplane because no distress call was sent out by the pilot(s), therefore certainly nobody aboard that airplane had any opportunity to make a call.
Gado
May Allah save them all and, in the worst case scenario, forgive their sins and give us the strength to repent for ours while we have the opportunity.
A Amiram R
I wish they would find some technology, like a live-streaming satellite, to allow constant live monitoring of all flying aircraft. We know that nowadays planes don't really go missing for so many hours. It would help an immediate and effective rescue team to increase its chances of finding some survivors.
PNG VNN
The airline would have been aware of any self-proclaimed air defense zone. But it does have all the earmarks of a bomb on the plane. The authorities will study the passenger list to look for someone targeted for assassination. The truth will surface.
Ahestar
If the aircraft was on their radar screen, they should know the exact position where the blip disappeared and thus approximately where the plane is located. If the plane exploded, there would be debris over a large area.
If the plane was at 20,000 feet and dived into the sea, there would have been time for some of the 200 passengers to have used their cell phones. If the plane crashed, the ELT (emergency locator transmitter) would have put out a signal for a couple of hundred miles that would have been picked up by any airline in the vicinity.
Exbrit
This is a tragedy for the families of the passengers, though we are yet to have details of any wreckage actually being found. It is very sad, for everyone concerned. Fingers crossed for some kind of miracle. I cannot imagine the anguish of those poor people waiting for the news of their loved ones; my heart and prayers go out to them.
Gyrotonic
I think they are off for the weekend! With all the incessant and concerted efforts by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, (cross our fingers) this Malaysia Airlines Boeing jet will be found.
The stretch of the South China Sea (southwest of Vietnam) is very treacherous to say the least (I've sailed over it before), especially during the monsoon period. Hopefully the stretch of oil slicks will lead to positive findings by rescuers and their hi-tech equipment, especially deep sea sonar etc. For now, it's anybody's guess how the jet plane disappeared ' human, propulsion or navigational error?
Luwanto
My very close family friend, Madam Goh Sok Lay, was on this flight. She's about 45 years old and an alma mater of the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Malacca.
She worked as an air stewardess with Malaysia Airlines since she left school as a teenager and became a cabin crew trainer and supervisor... as fate would have it, she chose a midnight flight to Beijing to conduct her training and supervisory work... dedicated staff member!
Malam
