Biggest Mystery in Aviation | What happened to MH370 Flight?
Greetings, dear acquaintances!
On the fateful night of March 8, 2014, at precisely 12:42 AM, the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 embarked on its journey from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing. Aboard this aircraft were 227 passengers, along with 10 diligent flight attendants and a duo of seasoned pilots responsible for its safe navigation.
The cockpit was under the command of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a distinguished aviator at 53 years of age, revered for his vast experience. Accompanying him was First Officer Fariq Hamid, a youthful 27-year-old pilot, undergoing a training flight that would certify him for full-fledged piloting duties.
Initially, the flight proceeded flawlessly, maintaining its course for approximately 20 minutes. However, at 01:08 AM, a pivotal moment transpired as the aircraft crossed the Malaysian coastline, venturing over the vast expanse of the South China Sea, toward Vietnam. Captain Zaharie communicated the plane's altitude at 35,000 feet, attesting to the normalcy of the flight.
Regrettably, a mere 11 minutes later, as the airplane entered Vietnamese airspace, it entered the jurisdiction of the Vietnamese Air Traffic Control. Subsequently, Kuala Lumpur's Air Traffic Control transmitted a routine message to the aircraft: "Malaysian 370, Contact Ho Chi Minh. 120.9. Goodnight."
Captain Zaharie courteously responded with a simple "Good night. MAS 370," leaving no indication of any impending anomaly. All seemed well until this juncture.
Alas, these words, uttered by Captain Zaharie, constituted the final communication originating from the aircraft. After this exchange, an unsettling silence descended upon Flight MH370. It abruptly vanished from radar screens, shrouding itself in an enigmatic cloak, laying the foundation for what would evolve into one of aviation's most perplexing enigmas.
The unfolding news broadcasts seized the world's attention: "Breaking news tonight, a Malaysian Airlines flight, MH 370, disappeared en route to Beijing." In a mere 30 seconds after entering Vietnamese airspace, the plane inexplicably vanished from radar screens at 01:21 AM.
The Air Traffic Control authorities in Kuala Lumpur initially failed to recognize this abrupt disappearance, attributing it to the aircraft's transition into Vietnam's airspace, which, they presumed, hindered radar tracking. Vietnam's Air Traffic Control, however, clearly observed MH370's entry into their airspace but subsequently lost radar contact, despite multiple communication attempts yielding no response.
Alarmingly, it took an excruciating four hours, until 06:32 AM, after the plane was due to land in Beijing, for an emergency response to initiate. This delay was incongruent with established protocols, as Kuala Lumpur's Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre should have been notified within a mere hour of the aircraft's disappearance.
Consequently, an extensive search operation was mobilized, commencing in the South China Sea, the region straddling the flight path from Malaysia to Beijing, encompassing Vietnam's airspace. This multinational endeavor involved 34 vessels and 28 aircraft dispatched by seven different nations.
Regrettably, no trace of the plane emerged, leaving authorities baffled. After four disheartening days, on March 12, 2014, reports emerged, revealing that a military radar had detected the plane, though it was not over the South China Sea at 02:22 AM, as anticipated. Instead, it had veered westward, approaching the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, far from its intended route to Beijing.
This unforeseen turn of events triggered a wave of bewilderment. The question loomed large: Where had the plane gone? Did it deviate toward India or perhaps met its demise in the Himalayas or Kazakhstan?
Several days later, satellite data unveiled a new piece of the puzzle. It was discerned that MH370 had been intermittently attempting to establish communication with a satellite—a fairly common practice among large aircraft such as the Boeing 777. However, this communication attempt was limited to signal logins, revealing no information about the aircraft's precise location. Nonetheless, astute scientists and investigators harnessed this data to approximate the plane's potential whereabouts.
Their hypothesis was grounded in the belief that the satellite, upon receiving signals from MH370, would adjust its antenna orientation toward the plane's location. Armed with these antenna angles, they embarked on calculations to estimate a probable search area. Although pinpointing the exact location remained elusive, it was inferred that the aircraft could be situated within a broad circular expanse—seven distinctive communication events denoted by seven white circles.
Each of these white circles, known as Satellite Handshakes, marked a unique instance when the plane had attempted satellite communication. The final circle, the seventh, indicated the most recent attempt and, subsequently, the probable endpoint for MH370. The magnitude of this circle was staggering, enveloping vast territories from Kazakhstan, China, and Indonesia to Australia, including vast stretches of ocean. This circle represented the plane's final known communication attempt, beyond which lay the ultimate mystery.
To refine their search, investigators factored in the plane's velocity, and remaining fuel, and conducted calculations. As a result, they narrowed their focus to a segment of the circle—a critical section known as the 7th Arc. This 7th Arc was situated 2,000 kilometers west of Australia, stretching across an expansive region, predominantly uncharted in the ocean's depths.
Determined search operations ensued, with the priority placed on the region along the 7th Arc, backed by rigorous exploration efforts. By April 2014, surface searches in the ocean yielded no progress, prompting a shift toward more profound underwater exploration—a colossal undertaking both in terms of time and resources.
Years passed, during which exhaustive searches spanning weeks, months, and years failed to yield any tangible results. After investing a staggering $160 million, the search operation was officially terminated in 2017, characterized as a disheartening failure.
However, amidst the gloom, a glimmer of hope emerged in July 2015. The first debris from MH370, a fractured flaperon, washed ashore on Réunion Island, located east of Madagascar. This discovery provided tangible evidence that the plane had indeed met its fate somewhere in the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean.
In 2018, an American firm, Ocean Infinity, struck an agreement with the Malaysian government. The contract stipulated that if their search efforts proved fruitless, they would not levy any fees. Operating advanced underwater surveillance vehicles, they embarked on a fresh search operation, concurrently mapping the ocean floor.
During this extensive endeavor, they unveiled a startling revelation—the area encompassing the 7th Arc featured a complex topography, replete with underwater volcanoes, cliffs, and mountainous formations. Months passed, but once again, success eluded them. Consequently, attention shifted to investigating the passengers and pilots, probing their backgrounds, and assessing the potential for foul play, including hijacking.
From these investigations, several theories emerged, each vying to elucidate the enigma. One theory posited that Captain Zaharie Shah, having intentionally disabled communication systems, embarked on a tragic course of action, crashing the plane into the ocean. Speculation surrounding his mental state and motives abounded, ranging from suicidal inclinations to hijacking.
However, skeptics contended that Captain Shah's extensive experience, impeccable reputation, and lack of apparent personal or economic strife cast doubt on this theory. Such drastic actions, it was argued, should have manifested in behavioral cues or life circumstances, none of which were evident.
A second theory suggested hijackers as culprits, particularly focusing on two Iranian passengers traveling on stolen passports. However, a comprehensive investigation concluded that their intentions likely involved emigration rather than terrorism.
The most plausible theory, widely accepted, posits that a sudden, catastrophic oxygen deficiency befell both passengers and crew, rendering all on board unconscious. The aircraft continued on autopilot, enduring a series of technical malfunctions and system failures until fuel exhaustion ultimately led to its demise in the Indian Ocean.
Various factors were postulated as potential triggers for this oxygen deficiency, including cockpit fires, accidents, or deliberate efforts to induce it. One hypothetical scenario involves the pilots attempting a return to Malaysia, only to encounter an incident that precipitates oxygen depletion.
Though many years have passed since this bewildering tragedy, recent developments have rekindled hope. Richard Godfrey, a retired aerospace engineer, employed innovative radio wave technologies and sophisticated data analysis to propose a credible theory.
By amalgamating data from Inmarsat Satellite, Boeing, Australian oceanographers, and amateur radio wave technology, Godfrey devised a program capable of discerning flight paths through weak radio wave signals. His analysis pinpointed the MH370's presumed location to be precisely atop the 7th Arc, submerged 4 kilometers beneath the ocean's surface.
While critics challenge the accuracy of Godfrey's methodology, he remains resolute in his belief that a search operation conducted within a 40 Nautical Mile radius of his calculated point could lead to the long-awaited discovery of MH370, potentially providing answers to this enduring mystery. This represents a small area of focus compared to prior searches, offering newfound optimism for resolution.
Furthermore, drift analysis, examining ocean currents, aligns with Godfrey's findings, suggesting that wreckage may have drifted to various locations, including Madagascar and surrounding islands, corroborating the theory of the plane's final resting place.
In summary, the perplexing saga of Flight MH370, which has captivated the world for years, may soon conclude. Recent advances in technology and analysis offer renewed hope that the veil of mystery shrouding this enigmatic flight may finally be lifted. As we await further developments, we can only hope for closure and answers to the questions that have lingered for far too long. Thank you for your attention.