What Really Happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?
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The notion that a high-tech aircraft, equipped with advanced instruments and communication systems, could vanish without a trace seems almost unimaginable, as noted by William Langewiesche in The Atlantic.
Currently, I find myself re-watching Lost, a fictional series about a plane crash on an isolated island and the struggles of the survivors. This narrative, while captivating, starkly contrasts the real-world enigma posed by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in 2014, an event that tragically resulted in the presumed loss of all 239 individuals aboard.
In my family discussions, the mystery surrounding the flight's disappearance was a common topic, particularly because a significant number of passengers were Chinese, and the flight was en route to Beijing. This tragedy garnered extensive coverage in local Chinese media.
On a personal note, the thought of plane crashes can be unsettling. Although the odds of dying in a plane crash are significantly lower than in a car accident, the sheer scale of fatalities in aviation disasters amplifies the fear. Such incidents not only result in numerous casualties but also highlight systemic failures within major airlines and governmental bodies to safeguard the lives of passengers, in contrast to car accidents, which are often viewed as isolated incidents.
Langewiesche provides a thorough examination of the possible scenarios that could have led to the aircraft's disappearance. Having been a pilot before his career in journalism, he delves into the potential events surrounding the flight.
Even after nearly eight years since the incident, the fate of Malaysia Flight 370 remains unknown, despite numerous theories attempting to explain its disappearance.
The Flight Path
“Malaysia three-seven-zero, contact Ho Chi Minh one-two-zero-decimal-nine. Good night…Good night. Malaysian three-seven-zero,” stated Zaharie, the pilot, to the air traffic controller.
The Boeing 777, a modern aircraft known for its tracking capabilities, was operated by Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a 53-year-old veteran pilot, and his co-pilot, 27-year-old Fariq Hamid, who was on his final training flight. Their cooperative dynamic was notable; Zaharie, despite being the senior pilot, fostered an environment where younger pilots did not feel compelled to be overly deferential. With 18,000 flight hours under his belt, Zaharie was exceptionally seasoned.
Among the many tragic aspects of the flight's disappearance is that Fariq Hamid was missing during his last training flight.
At 12:42 a.m. on March 8, 2014, Flight MH370 took off, climbing to its cruising altitude of 35,000 feet en route to Beijing. Just 19 minutes after takeoff, the aircraft crossed into the South China Sea, heading towards Vietnam. Zaharie confirmed the altitude multiple times, but the last communication with Vietnamese air traffic control marked the end of contact.
From the perspective of air traffic controllers in Vietnam, the plane vanished as it entered their airspace, and attempts to re-establish communication proved futile. The transponder had been turned off, rendering the flight untraceable.
Langewiesche criticizes the delays in notifying the Kuala Lumpur Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre, labeling the situation a “confusion and incompetence.” Not until 2:30 a.m. did the airport learn of the flight's disappearance, and an emergency response was not initiated until 6:32 a.m.
Military radar indicated that the aircraft made a sharp turn southwest after disappearing from secondary radar. This critical information was withheld by Malaysia to maintain secrecy about its military capabilities.
The last known contact with military radar occurred at 2:22 a.m. over the Andaman Sea. Following this, a satellite from Inmarsat in the UK detected several “handshakes” from the plane, electronic signals that indicated its ongoing existence until 8:19 a.m., suggesting the plane traveled for several hours southwest before likely running out of fuel and crashing into the ocean.
Langewiesche asserts that the electronic evidence suggests a lack of controlled descent, indicating a catastrophic crash rather than a controlled water landing.
The Investigation
Sinéad Baker from Insider reports that by the time a rescue operation commenced, a massive search involving 34 ships and 28 aircraft from seven countries was underway. Despite this unprecedented effort, the plane remained elusive, highlighting the challenges in tracking a missing Boeing 777.
On January 29, 2015, the Malaysian government officially classified the disappearance as an accident. Following the initial investigation, Australia spearheaded an extensive underwater search, which ultimately proved fruitless after three years and a cost of $160 million.
An independent group of engineers and scientists, known as the Independent Group, emerged after the Australian government’s unsuccessful attempts. An American company, Ocean Infinity, also commenced its search but met with similar outcomes.
Theories Surrounding the Disappearance
Pilot's Murder-Suicide
One of the leading theories regarding the fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 suggests a potential murder-suicide orchestrated by Zaharie. The Malaysian government, often criticized for its corruption and authoritarianism, was reluctant to disclose details about Zaharie's troubled personal life, as it sought to protect the reputation of Malaysia Airlines and the government.
International investigations faced significant hurdles, mainly due to resistance from the Malaysian authorities. Observers noted that the government aimed to suppress the investigation, fearing the revelations that might emerge. For instance, the military allowed the search to proceed in the wrong direction for days despite knowing the plane was heading southwest.
Langewiesche posits that the plane was manually piloted during its sudden directional shift and suggests intentional cabin depressurization, alongside the shutdown of most electrical systems.
Initially, there were suspicions of hijacking, particularly regarding two Iranian passengers with forged passports. However, further investigation revealed they were seeking asylum in Germany, and no terrorist group claimed responsibility for the incident.
Langewiesche theorizes that Zaharie executed a calculated act of mass murder, with the plane's depressurization, transponder shutdown, and abrupt turn appearing too precise to be mere accidents.
Zaharie's personal life was evidently tumultuous; he faced marital issues and was described as lonely and despondent. His home contained a flight simulator that mirrored the path of Flight 370, a detail that raised further suspicions.
A fellow pilot friend of Zaharie believed he committed murder-suicide, suggesting that as the senior pilot, Zaharie could have instructed Fariq Hamid to leave the cockpit.
Experts featured on Australia’s 60 Minutes support the notion that Zaharie’s actions were premeditated, emphasizing that only a pilot could have executed the maneuvers observed during the flight’s final moments.
However, significant questions remain regarding Zaharie's motivations. Why would he choose to take so many lives along with his own?
Langewiesche references historical instances of pilot suicide, such as the crashes of SilkAir Flight 185 and EgyptAir Flight 990, but warns against oversimplifying the issue. The flight did not crash immediately, suggesting that a prolonged flight contradicts the suicide theory.
Hypoxia
Another theory presented by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) is hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation. This theory posits that everyone on board lost consciousness, leaving the aircraft on autopilot.
Christine Negroni from Smithsonian Magazine supports this idea, explaining that pilots occasionally neglect to activate pressurization or that system failures can lead to cabin depressurization.
Instances of rapid decompression occur about 40 to 50 times a year in commercial aviation. When depressurization happens, pilots are trained to don emergency oxygen masks and descend to a safer altitude.
A notable parallel is drawn to Helios Airways Flight 522, which crashed in 2005 due to pressurization issues, resulting in both pilots losing consciousness. The aircraft flew for hours while being monitored by fighter jets, yet the distress signals went unheard due to frequency errors.
Negroni speculates that a sudden decompression might have occurred on MH370, possibly leading to Zaharie allowing the trainee pilot to take control. However, the plane failed to switch frequencies for communication, and the transponder ceased transmission entirely.
Negroni suggests the rapid decompression may have led to irrational decision-making, explaining the unexpected southwest turn of the aircraft.
Since 1999, hypoxia has been implicated in at least seven fatal aviation incidents.
Current Search Efforts
Langewiesche chronicles the endeavors of Blaine Gibson, an American determined to locate debris from Flight 370. Over the years, he has discovered wreckage along various beaches in the Indian Ocean, confirming the grim reality that all passengers perished.
On July 29, 2015, Gibson located a six-foot wing fragment on Réunion Island, approximately 550 kilometers east of Madagascar. His subsequent findings along the coast of Mozambique further affirmed his hypothesis.
Today, Gibson is credited with finding roughly one-third of the wreckage. Despite his efforts, no significant information has emerged from the personal belongings discovered.
Authorities officially ceased search operations in 2017, but individuals like Gibson and aerospace engineer Richard Godfrey continue to pursue leads. Godfrey believes the aircraft lies 4,000 meters deep in the Indian Ocean, 2,000 kilometers west of Perth, Australia.
Although no official searches are ongoing, the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean remains largely unexplored. Peter Foley, who managed the ATSB's search efforts, remains hopeful that the mystery of the flight will eventually be unraveled.
> “It will be found,” he asserts.
Conclusion
It is vital to remember that many families are still mourning their losses. Understanding what happened to Malaysia Flight 370 is crucial to preventing similar tragedies in the future.
The Malaysian government's lack of transparency in the investigation has been a point of contention, and there may still be undisclosed information that could shed light on the incident.
The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has strained Malaysian-Chinese relations, given the significant number of Chinese victims.
Ultimately, what is at stake is profound; not only for the families affected but also for the governments involved. Enhancements in aircraft monitoring are needed to mitigate future risks, though current technologies still have limitations. While advancements in satellite tracking can improve the likelihood of locating a missing aircraft, they do not guarantee 100% success.
The inexplicable vanishing of a commercial flight carrying over 200 individuals remains a source of intrigue and has sparked numerous conspiracy theories.
For now, it might be prudent to view the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 as an unfortunate accident rather than jumping to conclusions. The reality is that we may never uncover the full truth, a frustrating notion indeed.