The disappearance of MH370, a Malaysia Airlines flight, on March 8, 2014, is one of the most puzzling aviation mysteries. The Boeing 777, carrying 239 passengers, was on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished. Despite satellite data indicating the plane likely crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, extensive searches have yielded no significant results.
The Final Moments of MH370
The last communication from MH370 happened 40 minutes after the aircraft took off, as Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was heard saying, “Good night, Malaysian three seven zero,” as the aircraft entered Vietnamese air space. Within minutes after that, the plane’s transponder was deactivated, which prevented further tracking. The military radar tracked the plane as it veered off the flight path and crossed northern Malaysia, Penang Island, and the Andaman Sea into the southern Indian Ocean where it vanished.
Underwater Search Efforts
The underwater search was launched by Malaysia, Australia, and China over 120,000 square kilometers (46,332 square miles) of the southern Indian Ocean based on satellite data. It was conducted at a cost of approximately A$200 million (US$143 million). The search was stopped in January 2017 with no significant results. A follow-up search by U.S. company Ocean Infinity, launched under a “no-cure, no-fee” agreement, also proved fruitless after covering an additional 112,000 square kilometers, concluding in May 2018.
Evidence
More than 30 pieces of suspected debris from MH370 have been found along the coasts of Africa and Indian Ocean islands. Only three wing fragments have been confirmed to belong to the missing plane, while the rest of the debris was analyzed by drift patterns in an attempt to locate the crash site.
Findings from the Report
A 495-page comprehensive report released in July 2018 concluded that the plane’s course was altered deliberately, though the investigators could not determine who was responsible. The report also highlighted the mistakes committed by the air traffic control centers in Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City and made recommendations to prevent such incidents in the future. But it said that finding the wreckage was essential to determining the cause of the disappearance.
Theories and Speculations
The mystery, which is still ongoing, has led to many conspiracy theories, such as mechanical failure, a remote-controlled crash, or even alien abduction. Some experts believe that it was a deliberate diversion of the plane’s course by a skilled pilot. However, they found no evidence of suspicious activities or mental health issues in the crew.
Search Efforts Set to Resume
Malaysia’s transport minister has recently confirmed that the government will restart the search for MH370, as proposed by Ocean Infinity. If significant wreckage is found, the company will receive $70 million. The new search area is expanded by 15,000 square kilometers compared to the previous one, and it will last 18 months, with the optimal search period being between January and April.
