MH 777 missing - MH370 media statement

[markis10]

Yeah. That poster on FT must be a bit confused if he/she is theorising about the turning off of two (i.e.,both) engines. It may minimise fuel consumption but a 777 has a limited glide I would think.

If they headed south they may as well have turned off two, the outcome would not change.

 

[MR N]

Just because there's nothing public, doesn't mean demands haven't been made to government, military, or even to the company who had all of those staff on board.

Could be, but if that was the case why keep searching the oceans.. Look I think there are so many possibilities on the table and honestly there seems gaping holes in so many but I suppose what is most likely seems to be that the plane is unfortunately in the sea and the reasons why are a whole other question.

 

[prozac]

Yeah. That poster on FT must be a bit confused if he/she is theorising about the turning off of two (i.e.,both) engines. It may minimise fuel consumption but a 777 has a limited glide I would think.

A B777 has a glide ratio (L/D) of a little over 19:1. So just theorising, as this has little value to this case, at a height of around 11,000m with no power it would glide roughly 200km at the optimal glide speed.

 

[medhead]

Could be, but if that was the case why keep searching the oceans.. Look I think there are so many possibilities on the table and honestly there seems gaping holes in so many but I suppose what is most likely seems to be that the plane is unfortunately in the sea and the reasons why are a whole other question.

They have only just decided it was hijacked and consequently have stopped searching some bits of sea. Until they changed the view it was logical to search in the water.

 

[codash1099]

Bolding is mine. You say "we"...You're assuming demands haven't been made. Just because there's nothing public, doesn't mean demands haven't been made to government, military, or even to the company who had all of those staff on board.

Or maybe they have no demands, or if they do, they don't want to make them just yet.

If there is a hijack involved, I'm sure they would be happy to sit back and watch.

 

[southernfoodluva]

If the plane WAS in the sea, how come there's been no sign of any debris? The seat cushions are meant to be flotation devices in the event of a ditching... they are by definition bouyant... how come not one of the 43 ships or 38 planes haven't spotted 450 seat cushions floating somewhere? Not to mention all the other things which should have come to the surface by now.

 

[boomy]

the other crazy surprise of this unfortunate mystery is the apparent lack of suspects that has emerged thus far. Surely it has to involve someone if not a pilot, at least skilled knowledge of flight paths and possibly MH specific communication systems.

I'm sure the passenger list was thoroughly checked to find anyone that fits the profile. Even if suspects were found, it's too soon to share this information with the media.

 

[Foreigner]

Perhaps posted earlier, MH370 and it's return flight MH371 have been renamed MH318 and MH 319 respectively.

 

[markis10]

If the plane WAS in the sea, how come there's been no sign of any debris? The seat cushions are meant to be flotation devices in the event of a ditching... they are by definition bouyant... how come not one of the 43 ships or 38 planes haven't spotted 450 seat cushions floating somewhere? Not to mention all the other things which should have come to the surface by now.

No one has been looking in the right area, and if that turns out to be the southern ocean, it could well take a long time before any debris were found.

 

[MR N]

No one has been looking in the right area,

Exactly and we might not see debris for a while, because they have two different areas they will be searching.

 

[burmans]

Yeah, maybe not. But I cant see hijacking because surely by now we would know their demands otherwise no point in hijacking, I guess.

Well there is a point of hijacking if the idea is to get something on the plane or the plane itself, no need for demands if you have what you want!

 

[MR N]

Well there is a point of hijacking if the idea is to get something on the plane or the plane itself, no need for demands if you have what you want!

Agreed, do we know what cargo the plane was carrying ?

And sure maybe its the plane they wanted for "other reasons".

I guess then what became of the 200+ passengers, if they were not needed, they maybe they were killed, but disposing of so many bodies would be a task in itself. Or maybe they are alive and held against their will, but even that seems a stretch.......but who knows ?

I am not discounting or disagreeing with anything but trying to look at whats realistic and trying to discount what might be less likely..

 

[DrA]

Agreed, do we know what cargo the plane was carrying ?

And sure maybe its the plane they wanted for "other reasons".

I guess then what became of the 200+ passengers, if they were not needed, they maybe they were killed, but disposing of so many bodies would be a task in itself. Or maybe they are alive and held against their will, but even that seems a stretch.......but who knows ?

I am not discounting or disagreeing with anything but trying to look at whats realistic and trying to discount what might be less likely..

There have been reports that the plane was carrying a large number of lithium batteries. And additional reports that the cargo was never screened at KUL due to an equipment malfunction. So who knows?

 

[JohnK]

Sabotage/ Hijacking continues to grow as the main culprit:

That has been at the top of my list after about a day or so when they had no idea what had happened to MH370.

I don't know why but I have been thinking about Maldives and not for a holiday destination.

 

[whatmeworry]

Out of curiosity, in the area MH370 could have flown to, which abandoned or isolated airstrips could it have flown to?

 

[samh004]

If the plane WAS in the sea, how come there's been no sign of any debris? The seat cushions are meant to be flotation devices in the event of a ditching... they are by definition bouyant... how come not one of the 43 ships or 38 planes haven't spotted 450 seat cushions floating somewhere? Not to mention all the other things which should have come to the surface by now.

I didn't think all seat cushions were designed to be used as floatation devices, just some. Regardless, if the plane hit the water at a relatively low speed and didn't break up, the reason there's no sign of the cushions would be because they're still inside the plane at the bottom of the ocean. Reminds me of a baywatch episode where a plane ditched but only had a slow leak.

Also might not find cushions in the sea if they're on the land somewhere...

 

[DrA]

That has been at the top of my list after about a day or so when they had no idea what had happened to MH370.

I don't know why but I have been thinking about Maldives and not for a holiday destination.

I thought about this too. I've been to the Maldives before on a dive trip, and the only place there I can think of that such a large plane could land at would be the international airport in Male. There is no way it could land there without lots of people knowing about it. All the other airstrips I can think of would be way too small.

 

[whatmeworry]

I thought about this too. I've been to the Maldives before on a dive trip, and the only place there I can think of that such a large plane could land at would be the international airport in Male. There is no way it could land there without lots of people knowing about it. All the other airstrips I can think of would be way too small.

It could have landed at Diego Garcia...

 

[AviatorPJ]

It could have landed at Diego Garcia...

Is that the black dot showing in post #1231?

 

[DrA]

It could have landed at Diego Garcia...

Sure, but that's not actually part of the Maldives...