Missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370

[Gazpacho]

God, this is so depressing and frustrating. I hope the passengers and crew didn't suffer.

Me too. I really really hope the theory of the passengers going to sleep, as in the Helios crash, is true. That's the best way to die in a plane crash--and in life too, I suppose.

 

[peibeck]

Where they are looking now and the original flight path is more than a left turn - it's nearly a 180 degree turn. Although, if they were aiming to return to KL because something was wrong and they did all lose consciousness, this is where they might have ended up after 7 hours.

If they turned around to go to an airport due to a mechanical issue, why not send a message though, as the turn was programmed before before they "disappeared." Also I don't get how a loss in cabin pressure would have had anything to do with the ACARS failure.

This whole thing is such a terrible tragedy for the families. You know some are holding out hope for the best, but I have to think after almost two weeks and the potential that it is in the deep depths of the Indian Ocean means it will never be located.

 

[skatingfan5]

This whole thing is such a terrible tragedy for the families. You know some are holding out hope for the best, but I have to think after almost two weeks and the potential that it is in the deep depths of the Indian Ocean means it will never be located.

It may never be found, but even If it is in deep depths, that doesn't mean that there is no possibility of finding it -- after all, the Titanic was found in depths of more than 12,000 ft. I do think that if the search had not spent the first week looking along the original planned flight path, the odds of finding a debris field might have been greater.

 

[susan6]

If they turned around to go to an airport due to a mechanical issue, why not send a message though, as the turn was programmed before before they "disappeared." Also I don't get how a loss in cabin pressure would have had anything to do with the ACARS failure.

Yeah, this is still puzzling. Apparently the guidelines about in-flight problems are "1.aviate, 2. navigate, 3.communicate"....meaning, when the problem crops up, the pilots do NOT waste time chatting with air traffic controllers; they have to first focus on fixing the problem and staying in control and in the air....then figure out where they are going to head....and THEN communicate the problem with ground control. So...at the time that they were communicating "all right, good night", everything should have been fine; otherwise they would have said something like, "uh, dealing with a problem here, hold on." BUT....apparently the course change had been programmed before that communication (still not sure how we know that).

So, a course change programmed, then a calm communication, then the course change, indicates the pilots were in control at that point and there was no emergency and they were deliberately changing course without informing ground control.

However....winding up in empty ocean west of Australia does seem like a "ghost plane" situation that might have occurred from depressurization killing the people and the autopilot taking over until the fuel ran out.

 

[misskarne]

Don't forget there are ocean currents and where any debris might be now may be a much different location than where it was days ago.

That was why the RAAF were dropping data buoys, to follow the debris and also tell them what the currents were doing

 

[Spareoom]

It may never be found, but even If it is in deep depths, that doesn't mean that there is no possibility of finding it -- after all, the Titanic was found in depths of more than 12,000 ft. I do think that if the search had not spent the first week looking along the original planned flight path, the odds of finding a debris field might have been greater.

Well, the difference is that they knew exactly where the Titanic went down...they've got no frickin' clue where this plane is. But I agree, there will likely be enough debris to track it down regardless of depth, and technology is much better nowadays.

 

[Skittl1321]

I feel so badly for the family and friends of those on the plane. It must be horrible to not get closure, and I fear they won't for years.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

They're saying part of the issue of looking at this debris is that it's 1500 miles from Perth, and it takes four hours to fly there, so the planes go there, and only have two hours to search before they have to return to Perth, due to fuel limits. This morning's weather isn't all that great out there, they are saying, but the flights have started.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

The Hoegh St. Petersburg, a Norwegian cargo ship, is in the area, and has volunteered to help in the search. It's the only ship in the area, and they are not required to help, but they are. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/mi...aches-flight-370-search-zone-australia-n57496

 

[misskarne]

The Hoegh St. Petersburg, a Norwegian cargo ship, is in the area, and has volunteered to help in the search. It's the only ship in the area, and they are not required to help, but they are. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/mi...aches-flight-370-search-zone-australia-n57496

Is this the one AMSA mentioned yesterday that had diverted?

It will be joined soon by the HMAS Success, which is a specialist vessel for search and rescue...and retrieval.

 

[BigB08822]

I have a question about the black box. I have read they are in a race to find it because it only has so much battery life. Once that life runs out then it no longer sends "pings" or what not. If it is sending pings now, why in the world aren't they being picked up and used to find a location?

 

[Twizzler]

I have a question about the black box. I have read they are in a race to find it because it only has so much battery life. Once that life runs out then it no longer sends "pings" or what not. If it is sending pings now, why in the world aren't they being picked up and used to find a location?

Apparently you have to be within 2mi of it to hear the pings. Essentially, if it's at the bottom of the ocean, they would literally have to be right on top of it to hear.

 

[Prancer]

The Hoegh St. Petersburg, a Norwegian cargo ship, is in the area, and has volunteered to help in the search. It's the only ship in the area, and they are not required to help, but they are. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/mi...aches-flight-370-search-zone-australia-n57496

BYTCH was cruising around Malaysia when the plane first disappeared. The cruise ship captain was asked to keep an eye out for debris and he asked the passengers to help look for two days before they went back on course.

I think ocean-goers are nearly always willing to lend a hand; they know how easy it is to get lost out there.

 

[IceAlisa]

The Southern Ocean looks like a very rough place. Six to ten foot waves on a good day.

I am getting discouraged about ever finding out what happened and it's so important for the world to know and understand, not to mention the families--this must be acute torture.

 

[Sofia Alexandra]

Isn't the place where they're looking now almost down by the Roaring Forties? I can't imagine that being an easy area to search...

 

[*Jen*]

It's a very difficult area to search, and the currents are so strong that the debris (whatever it is) is being moved quite quickly. They may soon just have to rely on ships to search because if the debris moves further in the same trend as it has over the past week, it'll be even harder to get there by air.

I just hope they find some answers soon, for the families. I don't want this to be an enduring mystery which leaves those bereaved completely unable to come to terms with their loss.

 

[Skate Talker]

I think it was CBC that quoted an authority saying the currents moved a meter per second. That is fast.

 

[skatefan]

Following on from yesterday's sightings from both China and France, SKY is now reporting that more objects have been sighted in the sea off the coast of Perth. Also that the wife of the Pilot is facing investigation and questioning 'supported by the FBI' and information coming through about the phone call made to the pilot prior to the flight leaving (but no further details).
My daughter's partner was scuba diving way off the coast of Perth yesterday and he said there was a lot of 'oil or something' in the water there (not on the surface) - whether fuel or oil would have travelled so far over the past 2+ weeks I don't know, but over the past four years' diving it's never happened before. Could obviously be something or nothing, from boat or plane I guess.

 

[Sofia Alexandra]

Did he tell any kind of authority about the oil? Could be worth looking into.

 

[Twizzler]

Malay government is meeting with families now and then holding a press conference at 10:00 EST

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

This is a link to a live feed of the press conference:
http://news.yahoo.com/video/abc-news-plus-special-report-220000361.html

 

[DFJ]

Malay government is meeting with families now and then holding a press conference at 10:00 EST

Apparently to say the plane is to be considered lost at sea with no survivors (according to MSNBC).

 

[Twizzler]

Apparently to say the plane is to be considered lost at sea with no survivors (according to MSNBC).

Not unexpected to hear, but so sad. The poor families.

 

[GarrAargHrumph]

He said that further analysis of the satellite data shows that the plane went down in the southern Indian ocean, but they didn't say that they have actually found the plane.

 

[DFJ]

Not unexpected to hear, but so sad. The poor families.

I can't even imagine how horrible it would be to hear that information.

 

[Vash01]

It very sad and my sympathies to all the families involved. Still, this should provide them closure and mourning. Not knowing what happened must have been extremely difficult. Of course this is not the news anyone wanted to hear. While a death is sadder than the uncertainty they were living with, it will help them move on with their lives, after going through the grieving process.

ETA: I wrote too soon. Right now the families are going through the grieving process and it includes denial, anger, etc. I hope it will pass soon, so they won't suffer so much.

 

[DFJ]

Not knowing what happened must have been extremely difficult.

That's the issue...they don't have a clue what happened.

 

[Vash01]

That's the issue...they don't have a clue what happened.

They don't know everything, but the most important thing was whether there were any survivors. With the announcement this morning, that issue has been put to rest (sadly). May be technology will point to the rest of the story, if they miraculously recover the black box. Hijacking does not sound like a possibility at this point, because there is no motivation for it. A catastrophic failure of some kind is most likely. Regardless, people have lost loved ones, and that would be the most important thing to them.

 

[Tinami Amori]

oy..... sad.

 

[Vash01]

Theories:

It is interesting to read what experienced pilots say about this disaster. They are the first to admit it's only speculation since we don't have full information. Still, given their experience, this makes interesting reading. It certainly added to my knowledge of long distance flights.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/24/opinion/abend-explaining-flight-370/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/24/opinion/goyer-flight-370/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

I hope that eventually we will have a complete understanding of what really happened. It may help the families, despite their losses.