On the 8th of March, 2014, at precisely 12:42 AM, a Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This routine flight was bound for Beijing, China, carrying 227 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two experienced pilots: Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a 53-year-old veteran, and First Officer Fariq Hamid, a 27-year-old on a training flight. Captain Zaharie, a senior pilot with extensive experience, was at the helm of this Boeing 777 aircraft.
For the initial 20 minutes of the flight, everything proceeded as usual. At 1:08 AM, the plane crossed over the Malaysian coastline, entering the airspace above the South China Sea, heading towards Vietnam. Captain Zaharie reported that the aircraft was cruising at 35,000 feet, and all systems appeared normal. However, approximately 11 minutes later, as MH370 entered Vietnamese airspace, the unexpected occurred.
Kuala Lumpur’s Air Traffic Control radioed the plane, saying, “Malaysian 370, contact Ho Chi Minh. 120.9. Goodnight.” In response, Captain Zaharie replied with a simple, “Good night. MAS 370.” Those were the last words ever heard from the flight.
Soon after, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 inexplicably vanished from radar screens, marking the beginning of one of the most perplexing mysteries in aviation history.
The disappearance of MH370 unfolded within 30 seconds after entering Vietnamese airspace, vanishing from radar screens at 1:21 AM. At this point, Kuala Lumpur’s Air Traffic Control initially did not notice the disappearance and assumed that the plane had flown out of radar range and into Vietnam’s airspace. Similarly, the Vietnamese Air Traffic Control spotted MH370 entering their airspace but then watched as it suddenly vanished from their radar screens. They tried to establish communication with the aircraft, but there was no response. After 18 minutes of fruitless attempts, Vietnamese controllers alerted Kuala Lumpur that MH370 had disappeared without a trace.
In standard procedure, Kuala Lumpur’s Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre should have been alerted within one hour of the plane’s disappearance. Unfortunately, it took nearly four hours to initiate an emergency response. By 6:32 AM, the time when MH370 was supposed to land in Beijing, a massive search operation was launched to locate the missing aircraft.
Given its flight path, the initial search efforts concentrated on the South China Sea, an area encompassing the maritime boundary between Malaysia and Vietnam. This search quickly escalated into an international effort involving 34 ships and 28 aircraft from seven different countries. Yet, despite these extensive efforts, the plane remained elusive, and no trace was found.
Approximately four days after the plane’s disappearance, on the 12th of March, it was reported that a military radar had detected the aircraft, even though civilian radar had lost track of it. According to this military radar data, the last sighting of MH370 occurred at 2:22 AM. Notably, the plane was no longer above the South China Sea. Instead, it had shifted westward from Malaysia, above the Strait of Malacca and headed toward the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
This revelation was nothing short of astonishing, as it contradicted the expected flight path towards Beijing. Instead, it appeared as though MH370 had reversed course and was now flying south, away from its intended destination.
This development left the world bewildered, raising numerous questions. Where was the plane heading now? Could it have veered toward India, perhaps even crashing in the Himalayas or Kazakhstan?
A few days later, investigators unearthed a crucial piece of evidence from satellite data. MH370 had made attempts to automatically establish communication with a satellite, a not uncommon occurrence for large aircraft like the Boeing 777. This was akin to your smartphone attempting to connect to known Wi-Fi networks automatically.
However, the satellite communications raised further questions. While the plane had made contact with the satellite, it had done so without transmitting any information about its precise location. The satellite merely confirmed that MH370 had initiated contact, but it revealed nothing regarding the aircraft’s whereabouts.
Intriguingly, scientists and investigators endeavored to exploit this satellite communication to approximate the plane’s location. Their logic was that when MH370 contacted the satellite, the satellite would have repositioned its antenna in the direction of the aircraft. Armed with this knowledge, they utilized the angle of the satellite’s antenna to make calculations, ultimately estimating a region within which the plane might be located.
The exact coordinates of MH370 could not be pinpointed through satellite data alone, but they were able to determine that the aircraft was somewhere within a broad circle. Each instance of attempted communication with the satellite was represented by a white circle. In this case, seven white circles, known as Satellite Handshakes, depicted the times at which the plane contacted the satellite. The last circle represented the most recent point of contact with the satellite, indicating the aircraft’s potential location.
The extent of the uncertainty was staggering, as the final circle encompassed a vast expanse of territory. The plane might be located anywhere within this circle, which stretched from Kazakhstan, China, and Indonesia to Australia, covering a substantial portion of the Indian Ocean.
The aircraft attempted to communicate with the satellite seven times, hence the presence of seven white circles. With each new circle, they moved closer in time to the moment of disappearance. The final, seventh circle illustrated the last instance of attempted communication, marking the aircraft’s potential whereabouts before losing contact. To narrow down the possibilities, investigators embarked on a complex series of calculations.
These calculations considered factors such as the plane’s speed, its remaining fuel, and the time at which contact ceased. Ultimately, they estimated a particular region within the vast circle as the most likely location. This area on the arc became known as the “7th Arc.” It was situated approximately 2,000 kilometers west of Australia and covered a substantial area of the Indian Ocean. This location was uncharted territory, relatively unexplored and uncharted in terms of its oceanic geography.
Subsequently, numerous search operations were launched to explore the potential resting place of MH370. Yellow shaded regions on maps indicated areas where these searches were conducted, and the orange area highlighted the priority search region, where the most extensive efforts were concentrated.
By April 2014, surface search operations were discontinued. The expectation that the aircraft would remain afloat on the ocean’s surface was dashed. The prevailing theory suggested that if MH370 had indeed crashed, it would have sunk into the depths of the ocean.
The search continued, with deep-sea exploration taking center stage. This marked the largest and most costly search operation undertaken thus far. Over weeks, months, and eventually years, they scoured the ocean floor in search of the elusive plane. Regrettably, their efforts proved fruitless. In 2017, three years after the plane’s disappearance and following the expenditure of $160 million, the search was officially terminated, marked by its inability to locate the aircraft.
However, amidst the ongoing search efforts, a glimmer of hope emerged in July 2015. The first piece of debris from MH370 was discovered. This fragment had journeyed across the ocean, eventually reaching Réunion Island, located east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The identified debris was a flaperon from the plane, a broken segment serving as a critical clue.
In 2018, an American company, Ocean Infinity, struck an agreement with the Malaysian government to initiate a new search operation. Their contract offered a “no find, no fee” arrangement. With advanced underwater surveillance equipment at their disposal, Ocean Infinity embarked on a new search mission. In addition to searching for the plane, they conducted detailed underwater mapping, unveiling a complex ocean floor terrain.
During this operation, their investigations uncovered underwater volcanoes, cliffs, and mountainous features beneath the surface of the ocean. The operation lasted for several months, during which they conducted extensive surveys. However, despite their advanced technology and meticulous searches, they too were unable to locate the missing aircraft.
Faced with continued frustration in the search efforts, attention turned to the backgrounds of the plane’s passengers and crew, and a closer scrutiny of the pilots’ history. Investigators explored potential scenarios, including the possibility of hijacking or pilot involvement in the plane’s disappearance.
From these inquiries emerged several theories regarding the fate of MH370. Each theory attempted to shed light on what might have transpired on that ill-fated flight. Let’s delve into these theories one by one.
Theories and Assumptions
1. Captain Zaharie Shah’s Involvement: The first theory implicated Captain Zaharie Shah, suggesting that he intentionally disabled communication systems, commandeered the aircraft, and deliberately crashed it into the ocean. But what could have motivated such actions? Speculation ranged from mental health issues to suicidal tendencies and even potential motives related to hijacking or terrorism.
– Supporting Arguments for Shah’s Involvement: Advocates of this theory pointed to specific elements of the flight path. Notably, the aircraft executed a nearly 180-degree turn back toward Malaysia, a maneuver believed to be executed manually. Additionally, MH370 flew directly over the border between Thailand and Malaysia, implying a deliberate attempt to avoid the radar systems of both countries. A noteworthy factor was the presence of a flight simulator at Captain Zaharie’s home, which contained a path resembling MH370’s flight path, sparking suspicion.
– Countering Arguments: Those who refuted this theory highlighted Captain Zaharie’s impeccable record as a highly experienced pilot and respected figure within the airline. No evidence suggested personal or financial troubles that might have led to such actions, and investigators failed to uncover any behavioral red flags or motives for his involvement in the plane’s disappearance.
2. Hijacking and Terrorism: A second theory suggested that hijackers or terrorists might have been responsible for MH370’s fate. This theory gained traction when two Iranian passengers with stolen passports were identified. These passengers had initially taken a flight to Beijing with the intent of continuing on to Europe.
– Suspect Passengers: The presence of these Iranian passengers with stolen passports raised suspicion. However, further investigations indicated that their intention was likely not terrorism but rather an attempt to relocate to Europe using fraudulent identification.
– Interpol Confirmation: Interpol lent support to this theory, asserting that the individuals in question were unlikely to be terrorists, strengthening the case against hijacking or terrorism.
3. Oxygen Deficiency: The third and perhaps most plausible theory posits that oxygen deficiency led to the incapacitation of passengers and crew, including the pilots. This theory suggests that the entire plane lost consciousness, leaving the aircraft to operate on autopilot until its fuel was exhausted, ultimately resulting in a crash into the ocean.
– Possible Scenarios for Oxygen Depletion: This theory encompasses various possibilities, such as an electrical fire in the cockpit, a catastrophic technical failure, or a sudden accident that resulted in a rapid loss of cabin pressure.
– Supporting Evidence: The theory gains credibility through the observation of several facts. Notably, the aircraft executed a sharp turn, reversing course over the border between Thailand and Malaysia. This maneuver could indicate an attempt to escape both countries’ radar systems.
– Countering Arguments: Critics of this theory point out that a seasoned pilot like Captain Zaharie would not engage in such actions without a compelling reason. Moreover, the absence of a distress signal or a clear explanation for the plane’s sudden deviation from its intended flight path raises questions.
While these three theories represent the most widely discussed scenarios regarding MH370’s disappearance, it is important to acknowledge that numerous other theories and speculations have surfaced throughout the years. These have ranged from far-fetched ideas about alien abduction to allegations of military involvement, all of which lack substantial evidence and remain on the fringes of credibility.
As of 2022, a significant breakthrough emerged in the quest to locate MH370. Richard Godfrey, a retired aerospace engineer, introduced a novel approach to solving the mystery. He employed radio wave technologies, drawing data from the British Inmarsat Satellite, Boeing, Australian oceanographers, and WSPRnet, an amateur radio wave technology network. His methodology combined elements of data analysis and oceanographic research to determine the potential location of the aircraft.
Through this intricate approach, Richard Godfrey harnessed radio wave reflections to trace MH370’s probable path. This innovative technology relies on the reflection of radio waves in the atmosphere to detect aircraft flight paths. Essentially, when an aircraft interferes with these radio waves, it becomes detectable.
Godfrey developed a computer program capable of identifying flight paths through these weak signals. Utilizing the knowledge that MH370’s disappearance correlated with the reflection of these radio waves, he was able to compute its potential location.
In his analysis, Richard Godfrey asserted that MH370 rests precisely on the 7th Arc, approximately 4 kilometers beneath the ocean’s surface. This location aligns with the theory that the plane eventually descended into the southern Indian Ocean.
While his approach was met with some skepticism, Godfrey’s methodology, if accurate, could provide a clear breakthrough in the search for MH370. His calculations are precise, with an accuracy of approximately 40 nautical miles for the plane’s underwater location.
Richard Godfrey advocates for a new search operation within a 40-nautical-mile radius of this calculated point, expressing confidence that this focused effort may yield the long-sought discovery. Importantly, this area is significantly smaller than those previously explored during search operations.
To validate his claims, Richard Godfrey conducted a drift analysis to examine the ocean’s currents. The objective was to determine whether the ocean currents could have carried debris from the plane to various locations, thereby correlating with the newfound underwater location. Notably, 27 pieces of debris from MH370 have been discovered on various islands across the world, which aligns with the drift analysis.
The quest to locate Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 has spanned nearly a decade, marked by numerous search operations, theories, and investigations. The disappearance of this aircraft has baffled the world and haunted the families of the 239 people onboard.
However, the recent breakthrough introduced by Richard Godfrey and the alignment of the drift analysis offer a promising glimmer of hope. If his calculations prove accurate, and a new search operation within the 40-nautical-mile radius yields results, the mystery of MH370’s disappearance may finally find resolution.
As we await further developments in this ongoing saga, the desire for answers endures. The fate of MH370 remains one of the most enigmatic aviation mysteries in history, and its ultimate discovery would provide closure to the families of those who were on board, as well as bring clarity to the aviation community.
In the absence of definitive proof, the mystery of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 continues to intrigue, captivate, and challenge our understanding of modern air travel and the depths of the oceans that conceal its secrets. The dedication and persistence of investigators, scientists, and researchers fuel the hope that this enduring puzzle will one day be solved.
