Beijing-bound MAS plane carrying 239 people missing as of 20 mins ago.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Exactly my point. Was it over the gulf? Over Vietnam?

If it did drop 200m suddenly, surely there would have been radio communications reporting it, as well as the course change..

How likely is it that they lost communications and crashed?

I wouldn't have thought it was very likely at all.

reply to post by AlphaHawk


According to the FlightAware tracking they had leveled off at 35,000, then there was nothing. That was from the transponder on the aircraft. There was no drop or any warning that showed up on the transponder, they were just gone.

Oh man, I can't even begin to imagine what the families must be thinking & feeling if they aren't getting a straight answer out of anyone. "Dunno" in this kind of situation has to be a special kind of hell, not knowing seems more torturous than knowing

Is it looking like a catastrophic failure in mid-air? I'm hoping for the best but fear the worst...

reply to post by majesticgent


Going by what the transponder data shows on FlightAware, it was sudden, and it tore the aircraft apart. The data shows the plane climbing out, they reach 35,000 feet with a slowing climb rate, then they're level, then there's nothing.

Asian LOST?

RIP *this made me cry*

reply to post by onehuman


That's where transponder data ended. They weren't under radar following at that point, although FR24 shows it a little farther out to sea where it ended (that's probably due to the zoom level of the map).

The 2nd Press Release from Malaysia Airlines is pretty conclusive, unfortunately. The language has changed from "missing" to "We regret to inform you" and referring to the plane and passengers in the past-tense.


Saturday, March 08, 09:05 AM MYT +0800 Malaysia Airlines MH370 Flight Incident - 2nd Media Statement

We deeply regret that we have lost all contacts with flight MH370 which departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41 am earlier this morning bound for Beijing. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Beijing International Airport at 6.30am local Beijing time. Subang Air Traffic Control reported that it lost contact at 2.40am (local Malaysia time) today.

Flight MH370 was operated on a Boeing B777-200 aircraft. The flight was carrying a total number of 239 passengers and crew – comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants), 12 crew members. The passengers were of 13 different nationalities. Malaysia Airlines is currently working with the authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft. Our team is currently calling the next-of-kin of passengers and crew.

Focus of the airline is to work with the emergency responders and authorities and mobilize its full support. Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members. The airline will provide regular updates on the situation.

The public may contact +603 7884 1234. For media queries, kindly contact +603 8777 5698/ +603 8787 1276.

For the next-of-kin, please inform them to to Anjung Tinjau, Level 5, KLIA. Our staff will be there to assist. Transport will be provided to go to the South Support Zone Facility building for the next-of-kin.

Or next-of-kin may head straight to the Support Facility Building at KLIA’s South Support Zone.

www.malaysiaairlines.com...

reply to post by Zaphod58


Could that mean that the airplane fell apart, like maybe the wings ripped off after years of bad care, or are you saying something else?

This isn't fun to talk about...

reply to post by Leonidas


The report is that they were handed over from Malaysia to Vietnamese control, and never made the hand off.

reply to post by KnightLight


I doubt that it was something like that, but it's still way too early to even begin to speculate. We have to wait for the maintenance history of the aircraft first. It could have been something as simple as it came out of a major check, and someone forgot to put some bolts in, up to someone smuggling a device on board. But right now, I'm not even going to try to guess without knowing a lot more. The only thing that it shows for sure, is that something drastic happened after they reached cruising altitude.

Malaysia Airlines says 3 US citizens, 1 infant on board missing flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing - live video

www.breakingnews.com...

Plane crash isn't good.

Malaysia Airlines says passengers on missing flight were from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, France, US, New Zealand, Ukraine, Canada, Russia, Taiwan, Italy, Netherlands, Austria - live video

reply to post by Zcustosmorum


It's being reported that 160 of the passengers were Chinese.

The last major accident involving Malaysian Airlines was in 1995, when a plane crashed killing 34. The airline has an outstanding safety record, and has only had something like three or four major accidents (one was the MASWings affiliate), not counting this one.

reply to post by Leonidas


I posted the link to that on the previous page, i notice it has changed now too. So heartbreaking. And 7 Australians onboard
And the infants were Chinese & a American one too thats just so sad.

reply to post by Zaphod58

Attack number two from the "Chinese terrorist" group now becomes a real possibility with huge consequences for Asia.
Shocking...

Granite
Attack number two from the "Chinese terrorist" group now becomes a real possibility with huge consequences for Asia.
Shocking...

What info do you have to make that jump?

KnightLight
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

Could that mean that the airplane fell apart, like maybe the wings ripped off after years of bad care, or are you saying something else?

This isn't fun to talk about...

edit on 7-3-2014 by KnightLight because: (no reason given)

Not fun at all ~~

They have said the plane was "only" 12 years old. Is that is "OLD" for a plane?

This is the 3rd statement

Saturday, March 08, 10:30 AM MYT +0800 Malaysia Airlines MH370 Flight Incident - 3rd Media Statement

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are deeply saddened this morning with the news on MH370.

Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH370 had lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2.40am, today. There has been speculation that the aircraft has landed at Nanming. We are working to verify the authenticity of the report and others.

Flight MH370 was operated on a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. It departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41 am earlier this morning bound for Beijing. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Beijing International Airport at 6.30am local Beijing time.

The flight was carrying a total number of 239 passengers and crew – comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants), 12 crew members. The passengers were of 14 different nationalities - citizens from:-



1. China – 152 plus 1 infant

2. Malaysia - 38

3. Indonesia - 12

4. Australia - 7

5. France - 3

6. United States of America – 3 pax plus 1 infant

7. New Zealand - 2

8. Ukraine - 2

9. Canada - 2

10. Russia - 1

11. Italy - 1

12. Taiwan - 1

13. Netherlands - 1

14. Austria - 1

This flight was a code share with China Southern Airlines.

We are working with authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft.

Our team is currently calling the next-of-kin of passengers and crew.

The flight was piloted by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a Malaysian aged 53. He has a total flying hours of 18,365hours. He joined Malaysia Airlines in 1981. First officer, Fariq Ab.Hamid, a Malaysian, is aged 27. He has a total flying hours of 2,763 hours. He joined Malaysia Airlines in 2007.

Our focus now is to work with the emergency responders and authorities and mobilize its full support. Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members.

reply to post by Granite


Way too early to say anything of the sort. Without a maintenance history I won't speculate on causes yet. It could very easily turn out to be a maintenance failure. Malaysia has a great safety record, but they just completed their fourth quarter with a loss, and are trying hard to save money. They lost over $700M in either 2011 or 2012.