Malaysia Jet missing-Officials conclude crash in Indian ocean/all lives presumed lost

[Acey]

Reuters saying there's no wreckage at the China satellite location. This is getting increasingly depressing.

[KelVarnsen]

@ReutersAero: Vietnam search finds no wreckage at location where China satellite shows possible plane debris - Reuters witness. #MH370

[Mr.Coffee]

Actually I kind of think not finding a crash site is not depressing at all. It means this thing could have safely landed somewhere and that there are survivors.

To me the facts that are known at this point lead me to think this is some kind of hijacking situation that has either gone sideways or is part of a much larger plan to be unveiled at a future date. I know it sounds movie-ish / crazy, but I just don't see how the plane makes such a sharp, seemingly planned turn in the air, plus with the transponder turning off, the exact timing of how they left Malaysian air contact and were inbetween that / Vietnamese air space... just seems like this was planned with or without the pilots.

[browna]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

To me the facts that are known at this point lead me to think this is some kind of hijacking situation that has either gone sideways or is part of a much larger plan to be unveiled at a future date. I know it sounds movie-ish / crazy, but I just don't see how the plane makes such a sharp, seemingly planned turn in the air.

Agreed. I think the hijack option is not out of the question, at least originally, and if it took a unplanned turn at gunpoint, demanding radio silence and other tracking systems off, the plane could have went in many directions...and ended/landed safely somewhere or not in that time.

Also, the longer this goes, as has been mentioned above, the less likely the countries in the area want to admit that they have screwed up in tracking this plane/give up their military tracking technology (or lack thereof).

[Acey]

What's somewhat depressing is the number of times we've had a lead where it's like "that's gotta be it" and then it's nothing.

[Mr.Coffee]

also the other thing I wanted to ask, the oil rig guy who saw something on fire, there was a meteor that night as well, could it be the meteor the rigger saw?

I recall on CNN two nights ago one of the theories was that the plane may have been struck by the meteor but you'd have to think the odds of that are like one in a trillion.

[JonDuke]

Every time you think it can't get any weirder...

And now...US investigators believe the flight flew on "for hours" after last known location:
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/...&mg=reno64-wsj

U.S. investigators suspect that Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 stayed in the air for about four hours past the time it reached its last confirmed location, according to two people familiar with the details, raising the possibility that the plane could have flown on for hundreds of additional miles under conditions that remain murky.

Aviation investigators and national security officials believe the plane flew for a total of five hours...

WHAT????

More from article posted below...

[nik-]

Man ... could it really be possible that they might never find this thing?

[Mr.Coffee]

ok if the plane flew for 5 hours, this has to be a hijacking... you don't hear about a lot of commercial airliners that go off course sight seeing with no apparent motive.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

ok if the plane flew for 5 hours, this has to be a hijacking..

Or a hypoxia + autopilot .... with the transponder turned off?

man, who the hell knows.

[JonDuke]

Here's more from the WSJ article, without paywall:

For any WSJ subscribers.. US investigators say the engine data suggests the plane flew for 5 hours or 4 additional hours after the plane disappeared off radar. Engine data may also determine the flight path of the plane.

From the article:

"The engines' onboard monitoring system is provided by their manufacturer, Rolls-Royce RR.LN -1.71% PLC, and it periodically sends bursts of data about engine health, operations and aircraft movements to facilities on the ground.
Rolls-Royce couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

As part of its maintenance agreements, Malaysia Airlines transmits its engine data live to Rolls-Royce for analysis. The system compiles data from inside the 777's two Trent 800 engines and transmits snapshots of performance, as well as the altitude and speed of the jet.

Those snippets are compiled and transmitted in 30-minute increments, said one person familiar with the system. According to Rolls-Royce's website, the data is processed automatically "so that subtle changes in condition from one flight to another can be detected."

The engine data is being analyzed to help determine the flight path of the plane after the transponders stopped working. The jet was originally headed for China, and its last verified position was half way across the Gulf of Thailand.

A total flight time of five hours after departing Kuala Lumpur means the Boeing 777 could have continued for an additional distance of about 2,200 nautical miles, reaching points as far as the Indian Ocean, the border of Pakistan or even the Arabian Sea, based on the jet's cruising speed."

But the huge uncertainty about where the plane was headed, and why it apparently continued flying so long without working transponders, has raised theories among investigators that the aircraft may have been commandeered for a reason that appears unclear to U.S. authorities. Some of those theories have been laid out to national security officials and senior personnel from various U.S. agencies, according to one person familiar with the matter.

At one briefing, according to this person, officials were told *investigators are actively pursuing the notion that the plane was diverted "with the intention of using it later for another purpose." *

And an additional 4 hours, could bring it anywhere here (not the same map as posted here before)

[T@T]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

also the other thing I wanted to ask, the oil rig guy who saw something on fire, there was a meteor that night as well, could it be the meteor the rigger saw?

I recall on CNN two nights ago one of the theories was that the plane may have been struck by the meteor but you'd have to think the odds of that are like one in a trillion.

I'm thinking about the same odds as you being hit in your backyard by a soviet satellite! in the history of mankind that have had vehicles hit by meteorites only two in recorded history have hit cars (both of which were parked)

I don't think I could come up with the odds of one hitting an aircraft moving 550 mph.

[Mr.Coffee]

this is like that opening scene in Dark Knight Rises or something. Just crazy.

[JonDuke]

And now, after the US says the plane flew for 4 more hours, Malaysian authorities reveal they've found no debris at the China Satellite location:

Thanks, tips.

[Leon]

This is bizarre.

If the Rolls Royce data is accurate, and the plane indeed flew for another 5 hours, then this certainly points to a hijacking. It's likely that there was no urgent situation if it continued in the air for that long.... Question is, where the heck was it taken to?

Maybe a hijacker demanded they fly the plane to Europe so they could seek asylum? I have no idea...

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Leon

Maybe a hijacker demanded they fly the plane to Europe so they could seek asylum? I have no idea...

Not terribly far fetched, it's happened before... hijackers seem to not understand the concept of fuel starvation.

[darklord700]

Could the plane indeed have flown a few hours to a base to a nearby country? And for some reasons the passengers were held hostage for the last week or so and are still alive.

[Northendzone]

I am trying to wrap my head around the logistics involved in stealing a plane, landing it, hiding it, and then doing something with all the the people who were on board.mmand to do all of this undetected.......

Of course to get the plane somewhere, again, they would need a whole load of jet fuel......

[Acey]

Originally Posted by Northendzone

I am trying to wrap my head around the logistics involved in stealing a plane, landing it, hiding it, and then doing something with all the the people who were on board.

If they did do this... talk about go big or go home. Boeing 777... 60 ft tail and 200 ft wingspan. Can't just toss it in someone's backyard.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by JonDuke

"with the intention of using it later for another purpose."

There's something quite eerie about this phrasing than if they had just said "authorities are pursuing a possible hijacking".