10 years have passed since MH370 disappeared, many search efforts and hypotheses have been put forward, but no one has been able to answer the question: Where is the plane?
Shortly after midnight on March 8, 2014, a Boeing 777 took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia and gradually climbed to a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet. After being instructed to change frequency to air traffic control, the pilot responded in a polite manner typical of conversations with air traffic controllers: "Good night, this is Malaysia 370." That was the last message transmitted from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
After the plane carrying 239 people deviated from its scheduled flight to Beijing and disappeared over the Indian Ocean, a multinational search operation was launched, one of the largest and most expensive in history, but 10 years later, the biggest mystery in aviation remains unsolved.
Relatives of passengers on flight MH370 attend a memorial event to mark the 10th anniversary of the plane's disappearance at a shopping mall in Subang Jaya, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 3. Photo: AFP
Radar data recorded by the Malaysian military shows that when entering the Gulf of Thailand, MH370 increased its altitude to 13,700 m, higher than the permitted flight ceiling, then suddenly changed direction to the west, due to the impact of someone in the cockpit.
The plane then dropped to 7,000 metres, below normal flight level, as it approached Penang Island, one of Malaysia’s largest islands. There, officials believe, it climbed again as it turned, flying northwest towards the Indian Ocean.
On March 24, 2014, based on analysis of Inmarsat satellite signals, the Malaysian government announced that MH370 had flown thousands of kilometers off its intended course, toward the southern Indian Ocean. Its journey ended west of Perth, Australia, and no one on board survived.
But KS Narendran could not accept that his wife, Chandrika, had vanished into thin air. "I was worried that if we did not know what happened to the flight, the tragedy would happen again," he said.
How could a modern Boeing 777, equipped with sophisticated equipment in an era of global satellite tracking and constant communication, disappear without a trace? This is a question that still haunts everyone who is afraid of flying and ordinary people.
MH370's journey and last communications. Video: CNN
"With each passing anniversary, the pain of my loss lessens, but the uncertainty about what really happened to the flight grows," Narendran said. "It is important to know where the flight ended and what led to the accident, in whatever form, and it is a question that still pops into my mind from time to time, with a sense of confusion and even frustration. I may never know."
The desire for answers has also burned within the families of the pilots who flew the doomed flight, as countless allegations and conspiracy theories have been put forward over the past 10 years.
The initial phase of the search for the missing plane lasted 52 days and was conducted primarily from the air, with 334 flights scouring an area of more than 4.4 million square kilometers. Many plans and search areas were changed, but the multinational force still could not find any trace, despite mobilizing the most modern equipment.
In January 2017, the governments of Australia, Malaysia and China decided to call off the search for the plane after scouring more than 119,000 square kilometers of the Indian Ocean floor. The effort cost $150 million but yielded no results.
In January 2018, under pressure from the families of the passengers and crew, the Malaysian government began another search, in partnership with the US company Ocean Infinity. After several months, the Ocean Infinity-led operation ended without finding any evidence of the plane’s whereabouts.
Authorities have yet to find the fuselage, but about 20 pieces of debris believed to be from the plane have been discovered along the coast of mainland Africa or on the islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues.
In the summer of 2015, investigators determined that a large object that washed ashore on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean was a flaperon from a Boeing 777, making it likely to be debris from MH370.
Another triangular piece of fiberglass and aluminum bearing the words “Do Not Step On” was found in February 2016 on a deserted beach along the coast of Mozambique.
Then, in September 2016, the Australian government confirmed that a piece of aircraft that washed up on a Tanzanian island in East Africa was from Flight MH370. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau matched its identification number to the missing Boeing 777.
There have been numerous theories as to what caused the plane to disappear. The lack of information about what happened to the flight has led the public and investigators to follow different paths.
Some officials believe the plane ran out of fuel and the pilot attempted an emergency landing at sea. Others believe the pilot intentionally crashed the plane into the sea or that the plane was hijacked.
The theory that the pilot deliberately steered the plane off course emerged after data recovered from Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah's home flight simulator showed he had planned a flight path to the southern Indian Ocean.
Undated photo of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah. Photo: Reuters
Fuad Sharuji, who was Malaysia Airlines’ crisis manager at the time of MH370’s disappearance, said such theories had left Captain Zaharie’s family increasingly isolated as they battled conspiracy theories surrounding him.
"Things have been difficult for them. They have stayed away from the media because they cannot accept the accusations... They are trying their best to move on with their lives," Sharuji said.
Dr Ghouse Mohd Noor, a friend of Captain Zaharie, said the pilot's family was still hoping for answers. "There is no conclusion. There must be an explanation of what happened," he said. "His wife and children are still waiting. The big question is still unanswered. Everyone needs a conclusion. I pray day and night that they will find the plane."
Another theory that aviation experts believe is more likely is that the pilot made a mistake rather than intentionally crashing the plane into the sea. Zaharie may have encountered a problem such as a fire or decompression on board and wanted to return the plane to Malaysia, but lost consciousness due to smoke or lack of oxygen.
After more than four years of searching and investigation, a 495-page report released in 2018 offered no conclusive answers about the plane's fate.
Kok Soo Chon, the head of the investigation team, said the evidence at hand, including the plane's initial erratic flight path and the transponder being turned off, pointed to "unlawful interference" taking place. But there was no indication of who interfered or why.
The report also reviewed information about all the passengers and Captain Zaharie and First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid, including their financial status, health, voice on the radio and even the way they walked when they went to work that day. No irregularities were found.
Now, a new search may be on the horizon.
Malaysian officials said last week that the government was ready to discuss a new search operation, as Ocean Infinity announced it had found "new evidence" of traces of MH370 based on more modern technology, although it did not give details.
"This search is arguably the most challenging but absolutely necessary mission yet," said Oliver Plunkett, CEO of Ocean Infinity. "We are working with a number of experts, some external to Ocean Infinity, to continue analysing the data in the hope of narrowing the search area to an area with a higher chance of success."
Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, author of three books about the disappearance of MH370, said that although the incident may forever remain a mystery, the world aviation industry has learned a lot from the tragedy and implemented new measures to ensure greater safety.
People look at debris believed to be from MH370 at a memorial event marking the 10th anniversary of the disappearance in Subang Jaya, Malaysia, March 3. Photo: Reuters
Europe and Britain have mandated that low-frequency underwater locator beacons be added to aircraft to help search and rescue teams locate survivors at sea. Attached to the airframe, they must be able to transmit for at least 90 days, three times longer than previously required. In addition, cockpit voice recorders are required to retain a minimum of 25 hours of data, instead of just two.
Yet, 10 years on with unanswered questions, theories continue to flourish online to fill the information gap. "It seems unimaginable to people that we may never know what happened," Spruck Wrigley said.
Vu Hoang (According to Guardian, AFP, Reuters )
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