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[Daria]

I was all about the "coincidence" until they found the other two... now I'm leaning toward... well, the other way.

That's exactly my thoughts. The first two seemed like it was just someone trying to get somewhere without the proper paperwork and with Thailand having such a black-market for these things, whatever. But adding the FBI into the mix and having two more show up, and having all of these conflicting reports on what really happened then something seriously went wrong.

I don't really want to jump and say it's terrorism because it still may be just a mechanical failure but the over/under on terrorism went up a bit. Only reason I'm still skeptical on that though is because of the turn around. If they were in fact turning around due to communication failure, they could have been trying to land back at the original airport since they were only ~40 minutes out.

Another theory, the turn around was the cause of a catastrophic failure.

 

[pax217]

Another theory, the turn around was the cause of a catastrophic failure.

Do you mean that they turned around because something went wrong, or that something went wrong because they turned around?

(Reading it as posted, you're saying that something went wrong because they turned around, but I wanted to confirm)

 

[Pandemic]

Only two are being investigated for passport thefts,

UPDATE [1.20pm]: Department of Civil Aviation clarifies earlier statement by the Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein, saying only two – not four – passengers had boarded the flight using stolen passports.

CCTV footage shows the two individuals from the check-in point to departure. Footage will be used for investigations.

Malaysia Airlines says the aircraft had been repaired by Boeing and was certified safe to fly. They dismissed the possibility of a technical problem.

Link

 

[trinest]

Reading the chat on the Infinitive Australia stream of the Astro channel on Youtube is filled with conspiracies and rumors and stuff. Though it would be interesting if some of those things mentioned are true to a degree.

 

[pax217]

Only two are being investigated for passport thefts,

Link

Oh man, what to believe. Just more mystery.

...but that last sentence in your quote is the one that makes me most worried.

Reading the chat on the Infinitive Australia stream of the Astro channel on Youtube is filled with conspiracies and rumors and stuff. Though it would be interesting if some of those things mentioned are true to a degree.

There's always some kernel of truth in all conspiracy theories, right? We shall wait and see.

####

One thought for me is that with all the satellites with all the cameras on them that orbit the earth 24/7, we don't have one that could see what was happening in the Thai Gulf at that time (certainly you could see a 30k ft evelation, mid-air explosion at night if there was one)? Maybe someone could shed some light as to why not?

 

[ElyrionX]

Yahoo Malaysia ended up reporting (maybe three hours ago now) that there were two other passports that didn't line up. We had a few GAF'ers (if you read back a page or two through the religious BS) confirm this, and now BBC is confirming it. There are four fake/stolen/improper passports that were used in flight check-ins.

Keep in mind that many are saying that this is not uncommon in Southeast Asia, though.

Any links or source with regards to people saying it's not uncommoin in Southeast Asia? I come from Southeast Asia myself but I've never heard or read about such a thing before.

 

[pax217]

Any links or source with regards to people saying it's not uncommoin in Southeast Asia? I come from Southeast Asia myself but I've never heard or read about such a thing before.

Sure. Give me a few to find some. I'll edit this post.

(Sorry, still trying to find it.... and am on-phone with girlfriend whose flight just landed. I've reviewed all my WSJ stuff that I posted and I'm not seeing it there; looking through other sources I've used. It was in-relation to shipping vessels, I'll keep looking)

I found this (which isn't the original source I was citing, I still am trying to find it), apparently there was a spill last summer with a transfer from an undersea drill to a shipping tanker?
http://www.asianewsnet.net/GULF-OF-THAILAND-OIL-SPILL-Toxic-matter-may-enter--49852.html

 

[KHarvey16]

Oh man, what to believe. Just more mystery.

...but that last sentence in your quote is the one that makes me most worried.



There's always some kernel of truth in all conspiracy theories, right? We shall wait and see.

####

One thought for me is that with all the satellites with all the cameras on them that orbit the earth 24/7, we don't have one that could see what was happening in the Thai Gulf at that time (certainly you could see a 30k ft evelation, mid-air explosion at night if there was one)? Maybe someone could shed some light as to why not?

I don't think satellites take video, and what are the chances one was passing over that very spot at that very moment while taking a photo?

 

[teacupcopter]

Any links or source with regards to people saying it's not uncommoin in Southeast Asia? I come from Southeast Asia myself but I've never heard or read about such a thing before.

I think mainly because southeast and for that matter a large chunk of East Asia doesn't have a great reputation for political rights or policing child or people trafficking. If you were an ethnic minority you may travel on another passport for safety. Since corruption is rife you get away with it. Trafficking just adds more to it. Not sure where you live in Southeast Asia but I find it hard to believe that you can't see this happening unless you only ever go to say , Singapore.

 

[Daria]

Do you mean that they turned around because something went wrong, or that something went wrong because they turned around?

(Reading it as posted, you're saying that something went wrong because they turned around, but I wanted to confirm)

Correct. For whatever reason that they had to turn around for something in that time could have been thrown off, pilot error, or some other crazy mistake.

 

[KingFire]

Correct. For whatever reason that they had to turn around for something in that time could have been thrown off, pilot error, or some other crazy mistake.

Wouldn't they report any problems they had? If they had to turn it must have been reported. This case is really strange.

 

[The_Endless]

I think mainly because southeast and for that matter a large chunk of East Asia doesn't have a great reputation for political rights or policing child or people trafficking. If you were an ethnic minority you may travel on another passport for safety. Since corruption is rife you get away with it. Trafficking just adds more to it. Not sure where you live in Southeast Asia but I find it hard to believe that you can't see this happening unless you only ever go to say , Singapore.

Update on the two stolen passports from the Feeyo Chinese forums
Tickets bought via broker paid in Thai Baht. Last three digits of the ticket issue number indicate it could be consecutive. Both were for a 5 hour transit in PEK, before flying to Amsterdam, then separately to Copenhagen and Frankfurt. Tickets were bought one way.

It is suspicious that they were on this flight, but this still looks to be to be a case of illegal immigration into the EU or claiming asylum on arrival.

Italian passenger:

Mar 8, CZ748（MH370），00:35-6:30 KUL-PEK

Mar 8, CZ767（KL898），11:55-15:15 PEK-AMS

Mar 8, CZ7737 (KL1139），20:55-22:20 AMS-CPH，

Ticket Number：784-*******099

Austrian passenger：

Mar 8, CZ748（MH370），00:35-6:30 KUL-PEK

Mar 8, CZ767（KL898），11:55-15:15 PEK-AMS

Mar 8, CZ7689 (KL1775），21:05-22:25 AMS-FRA

Ticket Number：784-*******100

 

[Daria]

Wouldn't they report any problems they had? If they had to turn it must have been reported. This case is really strange.

You would think, right? I do think that the left turn was done just after or just before the lost of communication so they may not have had time to report anything.

 

[Kopite]

A bit reluctant to post this due to it not being official and the metric fuckton of fake rumours floating about but my aunt's friend who works for Malaysia Airlines has told her it deffo was a hijacking.

 

[Pandemic]

Why haven't more resources been thrown into the search and rescue effort? Such as more nations sending boats/planes to assist with the search.

 

[Enron]

According to CNN, there's 40 ships and 22 aircraft dedicated to the effort.

 

[pax217]

A bit reluctant to post this due to it not being official and the metric fuckton of fake rumours floating about but my aunt's friend who works for Malaysia Airlines has told her it deffo was a hijacking.

Any more details? We've been throwing around all the rumors, so don't worry about being reluctant to make it a topic.

Why haven't more resources been thrown into the search and rescue effort? Such as more nations sending boats/planes to assist with the search.

Last I saw there were only 3 countries that aren't Malaysia who have said "Yes, we'll help", and then others are sitting around going "We're thinking of how we can help". It's kind of odd that China hasn't been all over it since there were so many Chinese on-board.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles...TTopStories&fpid=2,7,121,122,201,401,641,1009

 

[Kopite]

Any more details? We've been throwing around all the rumors, so don't worry about being reluctant to make it a topic.

Reading her text again she also says Vietnamese fisherman apparently saw a ball of flame crash into the sea. Not sure if this is from her friend in Malaysian Airlines or from a different source. Once again I stress that this is just unconfirmed second hand info.

 

[Konka]

Any more details? We've been throwing around all the rumors, so don't worry about being reluctant to make it a topic.



Last I saw there were only 3 countries that aren't Malaysia who have said "Yes, we'll help", and then others are sitting around going "We're thinking of how we can help". It's kind of odd that China hasn't been all over it since there were so many Chinese on-board.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles...TTopStories&fpid=2,7,121,122,201,401,641,1009

You can only have so many boats in an are before it becomes redundant.

 

[Daria]

Reading her text again she also says Vietnamese fisherman apparently saw a ball of flame crash into the sea. Not sure if this is from her friend in Malaysian Airlines or from a different source. Once again I stress that this is just unconfirmed second hand info.

Can you try to get more information? maybe try to speak directly to the friend?

 

[The_Endless]

Any more details? We've been throwing around all the rumors, so don't worry about being reluctant to make it a topic.



Last I saw there were only 3 countries that aren't Malaysia who have said "Yes, we'll help", and then others are sitting around going "We're thinking of how we can help". It's kind of odd that China hasn't been all over it since there were so many Chinese on-board.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles...TTopStories&fpid=2,7,121,122,201,401,641,1009

China has sent several ships and planes already. Vietnam and Malaysia obviously leading the search. Singapore and Philippines helping out, as is US. The only obvious candidate to offer help is Thailand, but given the domestic situation there, the Thai army might have their hands tied.

Search planes can spot a lot, but wreckage is best confirmed by ship. It takes time for ships to arrive in the area... heck, the first search ships only arrive there 24 hours after the supposed crash, and it was still 7 hours until dawn when light conditions were better for search.

 

[pax217]

You can only have so many boats in an are before it becomes redundant.

Exactly what I was thinking when the other user posted those stats of planes/ships.

 

[ElyrionX]

I think mainly because southeast and for that matter a large chunk of East Asia doesn't have a great reputation for political rights or policing child or people trafficking. If you were an ethnic minority you may travel on another passport for safety. Since corruption is rife you get away with it. Trafficking just adds more to it. Not sure where you live in Southeast Asia but I find it hard to believe that you can't see this happening unless you only ever go to say , Singapore.

I am from Singapore so it's unsurprising that I don't really see this happening though I've been around SEA. I really didn't know fake passports were a thing in this part of the world.

 

[Kopite]

Can you try to get more information? maybe try to speak directly to the friend?

I doubt it but rest assured I'll post anything I hear as soon as I get it.

 

[pax217]

I am from Singapore so it's unsurprising that I don't really see this happening though I've been around SEA. I really didn't know fake passports were a thing in this part of the world.

Another user posted earlier that they're also commonly used by drug smugglers (but again, I don't have a proper source, sorry)

 

[luoapp]

Last I saw there were only 3 countries that aren't Malaysia who have said "Yes, we'll help", and then others are sitting around going "We're thinking of how we can help". It's kind of odd that China hasn't been all over it since there were so many Chinese on-board.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles...TTopStories&fpid=2,7,121,122,201,401,641,1009

US, China, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam are all helping. As for China's S&R capability, it's simply too far away from the mainland. only one coast guard's ship that was at the close region is able to reach the area and the searching has started, meanwhile two other Chinese Navy ships are on their way.

 

[linsivvi]

Last I saw there were only 3 countries that aren't Malaysia who have said "Yes, we'll help", and then others are sitting around going "We're thinking of how we can help". It's kind of odd that China hasn't been all over it since there were so many Chinese on-board.

That's false.

It said "among the countries", guess which country WSJ chose to not mention?

 

[The_Endless]

I am from Singapore so it's unsurprising that I don't really see this happening though I've been around SEA. I really didn't know fake passports were a thing in this part of the world.

I read a statistic some time ago that stolen Malaysian and Singaporean passports fetch up to US$ 10,000 on the black market here, on account that the passports get the holders into 140+ countries visa free, and that passport checking procedures in this region are often just cursory.

I imagine one of the things that spin out of this disaster is heightened checking procedures and possibly an international coordinated passport flagging system. There isn't one now; Interpol runs a database, but member countries are not required to plug into it for reporting or immigration procedures.

 

[pax217]

US, China, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam are all helping. As for China's S&R capability, it's simply too far away from the mainland. only one coast guard's ship that was at the close region is able to reach the area and the searching has started, meanwhile two other Chinese Navy ships are on their way.

That's false.

It said "among the countries", guess which country WSJ chose to not mention?

Ah, misread it as "the countries". My mistake. Glad I posted it.

...There isn't one now; Interpol runs a database, but member countries are not required to plug into it for reporting or immigration procedures.

There it is! We were talking about an international passport database earlier and couldn't figure out if there was one.

 

[aeroslash]

Ok, so if the plane was really turning back it was because of some problem for sure. Maybe they also had a comm failure before and that's why they couldn't communicate. The strange thing is one of this planes can fly up to 90NM just gliding with engines off, so it always it's much better to go to the next airport in your route...specially if there's land ahead.

On the hijack thing, i find incredibly difficult to think someone could get into the cockpit. For those of you who doesn't know, cockpits are locked from the inside, with no way to enter from the outside except for two ways: a word used for the crew as a password and a numerical code used in case of emergency if the pilots don't answer the call. Evenmore, cockpits ara equipped with cams, so you can see from the inside who is calling to enter. In case of hijacking, crews also have a very specific word to use in a sentence communicating with the pilots in order to advise them, so i find it Unbeliable.

About the terrorist thing..it's usual to have many people working on that explanation, because at this time is the only thing they can work on, but it doesn't mean they think it's the cause.

Who knows, even some dangerous goods could have been catastrophic.

 

[pax217]

So I know we talked earlier about it not being four passports after all, and only two... but Reuters has confirmed that at least one other listed Chinese passenger (aside from the Austrian and Italian) on the plane is confirmed safe at home...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/09/us-malaysiaairlines-flight-idUSBREA2701720140309

 

[crozier]

Wasn't Malaysian Airlines one of the few explicitly asked not to fly Snowden?

(Ok, probably not)

 

[Pandemic]

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - 06:36 GMT - "Puzzled" - Malaysian Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya says the plane's systems would have set off alarm bells if it turned back.

"When there is an air turn-back the pilot would be unable to proceed as planned," he says, adding authorities are "quite puzzled" over the situation.

http://news.yahoo.com/malaysia-airlines-investigation-live-report-042933095.html

 

[Ecotic]

The man holding the press conference says nothing new to report, no new findings.

 

[luoapp]

So I know we talked earlier about it not being four passports after all, and only two... but Reuters has confirmed that at least one other listed Chinese passenger (aside from the Austrian and Italian) on the plane is confirmed safe at home...
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/09/us-malaysiaairlines-flight-idUSBREA2701720140309

The new update says the name on the passport and the passport number don't match and the person who has that passport number is still in China and alive, and he never had a passport stolen. It looks like a typo on the roster.

 

[pax217]

The new update says the name on the passport and the passport number don't match and the person who has that passport number is still in China and alive, and he never had a passport stolen. It looks like a typo on the roster.

Would that be that they stole that person's identity for that passport, then?

####

All right. It's bed time for me. Hopefully some developments (answers) in the morning.

Take care, everyone.

 

[Finaika]

Take care, everyone.

Take care.

 

[The_Endless]

There it is! We were talking about an international passport database earlier and couldn't figure out if there was one.

Yup, there's one run by Interpol.

But, the integrity of the database depends on what's reported in.... ie. assuming the Italian and Austrian authorities reported the passports as stolen to Interpol and had it added to the database.

Also, checks against the database aren't automatic or even required. Local passport control authorities have to plug in into the database, and even if they do, access is generally only done on a case-by-case basis only if the officer notices something suspicious. The DCA in Malaysia already confirmed that no cross-checking was done on the two passports in question.

 

[Munin]

Why was he banned?

 

[teacupcopter]

I am from Singapore so it's unsurprising that I don't really see this happening though I've been around SEA. I really didn't know fake passports were a thing in this part of the world.

It's more stolen and then forged passports. I dunno man, do you go to Malaysia much? Or Indonesia? Those places are rife with this sort of stuff. My dad used to do business trips in Jakarta and once one of his tickets was spelt wrong so the visa was also done wrong... cost about a the equivelant of $20AUD to fix the problem right there and then... it's not hard.

 

[kurahador]

Why was he banned?

This post I think.

 

[Saya]

Regarding the two passports which were stolen in Thailand. I have seen in Khaosan road that they provide services to fake and maybe alter passports and other documents there. It was crazy how many forgery shops there are in that area and the variety was huge. I would think it would be so hard to forge passports these days, with the chip and finger prints and all (or maybe not all European passports have that information) but I guess I am wrong.

 

[FrostuTheNinja]

This post I think.

Why would he get banned for stating a fact? Around 40% practice Islam in the region. Gotta be something else.

 

[catmincer]

This post I think.

That's ridiculous if so.

From Wiki
Islam is the most widely practiced religion in Southeast Asia, numbering approximately 240 million adherents which translate to about 40% of the entire population, with majorities in Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Oh, I read the ones afterwards I can see why now.

 

[KingFire]

Why would he get banned for stating a fact? Around 40% practice Islam in the region. Gotta be something else.

He is implying that it is a terrorist attack because "Muslims."

GAF has been pretty strict about this lately. I got banned once for stating that Islam itself is a violent religion based on the Qur'an and Hadith.

 

[Pandemic]

Chinese rescue force reaches suspected site of missing plane

BEIJING: A Chinese coast guard vessel has entered the waters around the suspected site of the missing Malaysian plane to carry out a rescue mission.
As of 11:30 am on Sunday, the vessel "China Coast Guard 3411" has entered the area and was about 45 nautical miles from where the plane was believed to be when it lost contact with ground control, according to China's State Oceanic Administration.

It is expected to reach the spot at about 2 pm on Sunday.

All crew members on board the ship are now working in six teams in charge of lookout, search, communication, medical treatment, motorboat rescue and logistic supplies, according to the administration.

Contact with the flight was lost along with its radar signal at 1:20 a.m. Beijing time on Saturday when it was flying over the Ho Chi Minh air traffic control area in Vietnam.

The flight was carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers, including 154 Chinese. -- Xinhua

Source

 

[Jimrpg]

I'm Australian Chinese just moved to malaysia. To the pax guy who got banned, yeah i know you might think that, but Malaysians in general are very peaceful people, and as you can see no one in the Malaysian media is saying this is religiously motivated.

Also if you haven't been to Malaysia I would say it's still a developing country just like Vietnam and it's probably never had an incident like this so this is probably why they are takin a long time with search and rescue.

 

[vareon]

My junior in college was on the plane. His family and friends were devastated right now. I hope for his safety but...yeah.

 

[Opus Angelorum]

They reported no technical problems, so surely if they had to change course they would have:

1. Radioed air control they were changing the flight path
2. Had a reason for doing so

 

[aeroslash]

My junior in college was on the plane. His family and friends were devastated right now. I hope for his safety but...yeah.

Sorry for that

They reported no technical problems, so surely if they had to change course they would have:

1. Radioed air control they were changing the flight path
2. Had a reason for doing so

There are only some reasons to divert from your flight plan:
- weather (none on that zone)
- medical emergency
- mechanical problems

Maybe they had some communication problems and they could not report it to atc.