What happened to the MH370? Was Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Ever Found?
by J Nandhini | Updated Mar 09, 2023
March 8, 2014, marked the day when Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, carrying 239 passengers from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, vanished without a trace. The aircraft disappeared from the radar only 40 minutes into the flight while entering Vietnamese airspace, leaving no clues behind. The last communication from the pilot in charge, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, came at approximately 1 a.m. as he signed off with "Good night. Malaysian three-seven-zero" to Malaysian air traffic control, who then communicated with Vietnamese controllers to take over the flight.
The incident sent shockwaves around the world, captivating the attention of millions, while the families of the victims continued to seek answers. Despite numerous search efforts and investigations, the mystery of flight MH370's disappearance remains unsolved.
"It's the greatest aviation mystery of all time," said Louise Malkinson, the director of the Netflix docuseries "MH370: The Plane That Disappeared." The three-part documentary examines three of the most contentious theories, including hijacking and government involvement, shedding light on the possible events that led to the tragic disappearance of the flight.
Despite the advancements in technology such as mobile phones, radar, satellites, and tracking, almost nine years have passed since the disappearance of MH370, and the case still lacks concrete evidence. The docuseries will air on March 8, nine years since the incident, and promises to provide a comprehensive view of the event, offering new insights and analysis.
What Happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?
According to The Guardian, before the mysterious disappearance of flight 370, the Malaysian air force's primary radar detected a sudden left turn by the aircraft after it entered Vietnamese airspace. The plane then headed towards the Andaman Sea. While flying over the South China Sea, the transponder of the plane was turned off, as reported by People. This act was presumably done by either the pilot or the co-pilot.
After disappearing from the radar, the plane was allegedly captured on a geostationary Indian Ocean satellite operated by Inmarsat for six hours. According to the data obtained from the satellite, the aircraft turned southwards after it reached the Andaman Sea.
Many aviation experts believe that the plane continued flying straight for several hours until it ran out of fuel and ultimately crashed into the Indian Ocean between Antarctica and Australia. However, no definitive conclusion has been drawn to date.
Was Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Ever Found?
Following the mysterious disappearance of Flight MH370, authorities from Malaysia, China, and Australia conducted a two-year underwater search that came at a staggering cost of $135 million, as reported by Reuters. However, despite their concerted efforts, the search was ultimately unsuccessful and was eventually called off in 2017.
In 2018, Malaysia resumed its search efforts in the Indian Ocean with the help of Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics company, under a $70 million deal that offered a reward if the missing plane was found. Unfortunately, the search was abruptly ended for unknown reasons, according to USA Today.
In the years that followed the tragic incident, debris reportedly belonging to the aircraft has been discovered along the African coast and on several islands in the Indian Ocean. However, despite these findings, no conclusive evidence has been presented to explain the plane's disappearance.
Even after nine years, Malaysian investigators have yet to provide a conclusive explanation for the plane's mysterious vanishing. In 2015, the Malaysian government declared the accident and presumed all passengers and crew members dead.
What Happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370? - FAQs
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 was a scheduled passenger flight that disappeared on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China.
The fate of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 remains a mystery. The plane disappeared from radar screens and lost contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff and is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean. However, despite extensive search efforts, no wreckage has ever been found.
There were 239 people on board Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, including 227 passengers and 12 crew members.