Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370/MAS370), also marketed as - TopicsExpress

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370/MAS370), also marketed as China Southern Airlines Flight 748 (CZ748) through a codeshare, was a scheduled passenger flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, China. On 8 March 2014, the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER operating the flight disappeared with 227 passengers of 15 nationalities and 12 crew members on board, following its last contact with air traffic control less than an hour after take-off. A joint search-and-rescue effort covering an area of 27,000 sq mi (70,000 km2) in the busy Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea[1] is being conducted by more than 12 countries. Vietnam briefly reduced its efforts on 11 March, but the search area continued to expand and searchers began to look for evidence on land.[2][3][4][5] Two passengers boarded the aircraft using stolen passports raising initial concerns that terrorism may have been involved.[6] Malaysian police later identified both passengers and determined they were not terrorists.[7] The flight departed from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on 8 March at 00:41 local time (16:41 UTC, 7 March) and was scheduled to land at Beijing Capital International Airport at 06:30 local time (22:30 UTC, 7 March). It ascended to its assigned cruise altitude of 35,000 feet (10,700 m) and was travelling at 471 knots (542 mph; 872 km/h) true airspeed when it ceased all communications and the transponder signal was lost. The aircrafts last known position was 6°55′15″N 103°34′43″E, corresponding to the navigational waypoint IGARI, at which the aircraft was due to alter its course slightly eastward. The aircraft was also expected to contact air traffic control in Ho Chi Minh City as it passed into Vietnamese airspace just north of the point where contact was lost.[8][9] Malaysia Airlines issued a media statement at 07:24 confirming that contact had been lost at 02:40 and that search-and-rescue operations had begun.[10] It later emerged that Subang Air Traffic Control had lost contact with the aircraft at 01:22 and notified Malaysia Airlines at 02:40.[11] Neither the crew nor the aircrafts onboard communication systems relayed a distress signal, indications of bad weather, or technical problems before vanishing from radar screens.[12] The airline reported in its eleventh press release that all its aircraft are fitted with Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), a system that automatically transmits data about the status of the aircraft, but added Nevertheless, there were no distress calls and no information was relayed.[13] Search[edit] Location[edit] The search efforts generated multiple false leads. An admiral of the Vietnamese Navy reported that radar contact with the aircraft was last made over the Gulf of Thailand, but it transpired that this result corresponded to the loss of radar contact by Subang air traffic control rather than the discovery of a crash site.[11] Oil slicks were located off the coast of Vietnam on 8 and 9 March and were thought to have possibly arisen from the aircraft. Test results reported on 10 March indicated that the oil slicks did not contain aviation fuel.[14][15] There were reports that a door or other fragment of the aircraft was found about 80 km (50 mi) south of Thổ Chu Island on 9 March. The following day, the Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia reported these claims were untrue; the floating material was not from an aircraft.[16] The Royal Thai Navy shifted its focus in the search away from the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea at the request of its Malaysian counterpart, which is investigating the possibility the aircraft turned around and could have gone down in the Andaman Sea, near Thailands border.[17] The chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Rodzali Daud, claimed that military recordings of radar signals did not exclude the possibility of the aircraft turning back on its flight path.[18][19] The search radius has been increased from the original 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) of its last known position,[20] south of Thổ Chu Island, to 100 nautical miles (190 km; 120 mi), and the area now covers the seas to the Strait of Malacca along the west coast of the Malay Peninsula, with waters both to the east of Malaysia in the South China Sea, and in the Strait of Malacca along Malaysias west coast, being searched.[21][1][22] On 11 March, it was reported that military radar indicated the aircraft turned west and continued flying for 70 minutes before disappearing near Pulau Perak;[23][24] it changed course after Kota Bharu and took a lower altitude. It made it into the Malacca Strait. This last location is approximately 500 km (311 mi) from its last position in contact with air traffic control.[25] However, the next day Rodzali Daud denied making the statements as reported in the media, requesting that the misreporting be amended and corrected to prevent further misinterpretations of what is clearly an inaccurate and incorrect report.[26][27] Vietnam has scaled back its search operations to await clarification from Malaysia due to the conflicting reports.[28] On 12 March, authorities also began to search the Andaman sea, north of the Strait of Malacca, and Malaysian governement has requested help from India to search in this area.[29] Response[edit] In response to the incident, the Malaysian government mobilised the Civil Aviation department, Air Force, Navy and Maritime Enforcement Agency, and requested international assistance from Integrated Area Defence System (IADS) and neighbouring states. Various nations mounted a search and rescue mission in the regions waters.[30][31] The countries have dispatched a total of 34 aircraft and 40 ships to the area.[2][1][22] Qatar offered assistance, and the French agency for investigating aircraft crashes, the Bureau dEnquêtes et dAnalyses pour la Sécurité de lAviation Civile (BEA), offered to help with any underwater search and recovery operation.[32][33] The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission tried, but failed, to use its network of infrasound detection stations to find any sounds made by this flight.[34] Assets sent by different nations include: Malaysia: CASA/IPTN CN-235 transporter, a Beechcraft B200T King Air aircraft, four Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transporters, two Bombardier Global Express, two Agusta A109 helicopters, and four Eurocopter EC725 long-range tactical transport helicopters.[35] Six Royal Malaysian Navy vessels and three Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency vessels.[35][36][37] Co-ordination centre at the National Disaster Control Centre (NDCC) in Pulau Meranti, Cyberjaya.[38] Australia: Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Lockheed AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.[39] China: 5 Navy warships, Type 071 amphibious transport dock Jinggang Shan, with 2 helicopters, 30 medical personnel, 10 divers, and 52 marines, as well as life-saving and underwater detection equipment on board,[40] amphibious transport dock Kunlun Shan with 2 helicopters and 50 marines, Type 052C destroyer Haikou with 1 helicopter,[41] Type 053H3 frigate Mianyang with 1 helicopter and replenishment ship Qiandaohu, 3 Chinese Maritime Safety Administration ships: Hai Xun 31 a large patrol vessel with 1 helicopter and underwater scanning equipment, South Sea rescue No.101 and No.115 large search and rescue vessel in the area. Hai Xun 31 acting as command and control center for Chinese ships in the area. Coast Guard No.3411 large patrol vessel and COSCO Merchant ship Tai Shun Hai, a Il-76 transport aircraft and 1 Tu-154 surveillance aircraft. China has also retasked ten orbiting defence satellites over the area.[42] India: an unspecified number of navy ships on routine patrol in the Strait of Malacca and air and sea assets of the Andaman and Nicobar Command; air force Dornier aircraft along with the Mi-17 helicopters at Andaman and Nicobar and P-8I and the Tu-142 maritime surveillance aircraft on standby.[43] The Indian Navys satellite Rukmini or GSAT-7 has also been activated over the area.[43] Indonesia: five ships[4] – one corvette and four rapid patrol vessels.[44] The country has deployed its first two PC-40 fast patrol vessels, the KRI Matocra and KRI Krait, as well a IPTN NC-212 maritime patrol aircraft.[45] Japan: a Disaster Relief team, comprising eight officials of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, Coast Guard and International Cooperation Agency.[46] New Zealand: one Air Force Lockheed P-3K2 Orion.[47] Philippines: The AFP Western Command sent BRP Gregorio del Pilar, BRP Emilio Jacinto, BRP Apolinario Mabini and has also dispatched an Air Force Fokker F-27 and a Navy Islander plane. A Hamilton-class cutter vessel and a C130 military plane has been placed on standby to provide backup for the two fixed-wing aircraft, if needed.[48][49][50][51] Singapore: three Lockheed C-130 Hercules;[52][53] Republic of Singapore Navy Formidable-class frigate RSS Steadfast, with a Sikorsky S-70B Naval helicopter on board; and a submarine rescue ship (MV Swift Rescue) with divers on board; as well as the Victory-class corvette RSS Vigour.[54] Taiwan: one Air Force C-130 transport plane, the frigate ROCS Tian Dan, and two Coast Guard vessels (HSUN HU No.7 and 9).[55] Thailand: A Navy Super Lynx helicopter and a patrol ship. Two other ships are on standby in the Gulf of Thailand.[56][57][58] United States: One P-3C Orion aircraft and a guided missile destroyer, USS Pinckney, carrying two Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.[59][60] logistical vessel USNS John Ericsson,[59] US Navy destroyer, the USS Kidd.[61][62] The US also dispatched a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) team in advance, ready to start work immediately should the aircraft wreckage be discovered.[63] The FBI has also sent several agents to the area to join in the investigations.[64] Vietnam: three Antonov An-26, two CASA C-212, one DHC-6 Twin Otter, three Mil Mi-171, and nine ships from the Navy (HQ-954, HQ-637, HQ-627, HQ-888), Coast Guard (CSB-2001, CSB-2003), Fisheries Control (KN-774), and Maritime Search & Rescue Coordination Centre (SAR-413, SAR-272).[65][Aircraft[edit] Flight 370 was operated by a Boeing 777-2H6ER,[a] serial number 28420, registration 9M-MRO. The 404th Boeing 777 produced, it first flew on 14 May 2002, and was delivered new to Malaysia Airlines on 31 May 2002. The aircraft was powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 892 engines,[68] and was configured to carry 282 passengers: 35 in business class and 247 in economy class.[69] According to the airline, it had accumulated 53,460 hours and 7,525 cycles in service.[70] 9M-MRO had not previously been involved in any major incidents;[71] a minor incident while taxiing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in August 2012 resulted in significant damage to one of its wingtips, which broke off after striking the tail of another airliner.[72] Its last maintenance check was in February 2014.[70] The Boeing 777 is generally regarded by aviation experts as having an almost flawless safety record,[73] one of the best of any commercial aircraft.[74] Since its first commercial flight in June 1995, there have only been two previous serious accidents. In January 2008, 47 passengers were injured when ice crystals in the fuel system of British Airways Flight 38 caused it to lose power and crash-land just short of the runway at London Heathrow Airport. In July 2013, Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crash-landed on final approach to San Francisco International Airport. Three passengers died and 181 were injured as a result of that accident.[75] Both aircraft were damaged beyond repair.[76] Passengers and crew[edit] Nationalities of people aboard Flight 370 Nationality Pass. Crew Total Australia 6 0 6 Canada 2 0 2 China 152 0 152 France 4 0 4 Hong Kong[77][78] 1 0 1 India 5 0 5 Indonesia 7 0 7 Iran[b] 2 0 2 Malaysia 38 12 50 Netherlands 1 0 1 New Zealand 2 0 2 Russia 1 0 1 Taiwan 1 0 1 Ukraine 2 0 2 United States 3 0 3 Total 227 12 239 Malaysia Airlines released the names and nationalities of the 227 passengers and 12 crew, based on the flight manifest.[80] Crew[edit] All the crew members were Malaysian. The captain was 53-year-old Zaharie Ahmad Shah from Penang, who joined Malaysian Airlines in 1981 and had 18,365 hours flying experience.[81] Zaharie was also an examiner qualified to conduct simulator tests for pilots.[82] The first officer was 27-year-old Fariq Abdul Hamid, an employee of Malaysia Airlines since 2007, with 2,763 flying hours.[83][84] Fariq recently switched to flying the Boeing 777-200 after completing his simulator training.[84] Passengers[edit] The majority of the passengers (152 of 227) were Chinese citizens. Thirty-eight passengers and all twelve members of the crew were Malaysian. The remaining passengers came from thirteen different countries. The Chinese passengers included a group of nineteen artists with six family members and four staff, returning from a calligraphy exhibition of their work in Kuala Lumpur.[85] Twenty of the passengers were employees of Freescale Semiconductor, a company based in Austin, Texas. Twelve of these employees were from Malaysia and eight from China.[86] Malaysia Airlines has also sent a team of caregivers and volunteers dubbed GoTeam to provide assistance towards family members of the passengers.[87] In its press releases, the carrier stated that it would bear the expenses of bringing family members of the passengers to Kuala Lumpur and providing them with accommodation, medical care, and counselling.[88] The airline offered an ex-gratia condolence payment of $US5,000 to the family of each passenger.[89] Investigation[edit] Boeing has announced that it is assembling a team of experts to provide technical assistance to investigators,[90] in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization protocols. In addition, the United States National Transportation Safety Board announced in an 8 March press release that a team of investigators had been sent along with technical advisers from the Federal Aviation Administration to offer assistance in the investigation.[63] The country that will lead the investigation will not be determined until the missing aircraft is found.[91] The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation has deployed technical experts and agents to investigate the disappearance.[92] However, a senior US law enforcement official clarified that FBI agents were not sent to Malaysia.[93] United States and Malaysian officials are reviewing the entire passenger manifest in addition to the two passengers who were confirmed as possessing stolen passports.[94] Stolen passports[edit] At least two of the passengers were travelling with passports stolen from citizens of European countries. Two men identified on the manifest, a 30-year-old Austrian and a 37-year-old Italian, had reported their passports stolen in 2012 and 2013, respectively.[11][95] Interpol stated that both passports were listed on its database of lost and stolen passports, but that no check had been made against its database, noting that very few countries consistently use the database.[96][97] Malaysias Home Minister criticised his countrys immigration officials for failing to stop the passengers travelling on the stolen European passports.[97] The two one-way tickets purchased for the holders of the stolen passports were booked through China Southern Airlines.[98] It was reported that an Iranian had ordered the cheapest tickets to Europe via telephone. The tickets were paid for in cash.[99][100][101] A Thai police chief suggested that the tickets were bought for illegal Iranian migrants.[102] The two passengers were later identified as Iranian men, one aged 18 and the other 29, who both entered Malaysia on 28 February using valid Iranian passports. The head of Interpol said they were inclined to conclude that it was not a terrorist incident.[79][103][104][6] Communications and crisis management[edit] The loss of the flight has been marked by misinformation, and there are now doubts as to the aircrafts possible location and trajectory.[105][106] Experts believe that although the initial stages had been well-managed by Malaysia Airlines, the increasing numbers of government officials commenting publicly created confusion. Australian crisis management expert Mike Smith suggested that, as the disappearance became of international concern, the Malaysian government failed to take control and to establish an emergency crisis control point where the information could be disseminated in a responsible and truthful manner. Smith pointed to contradictions, apparent finger-pointing, rumours and innuendo ... from Malaysian officials, whose motives we can only speculate about.[107]