The search goes on ... passengers look at a "digital Earth" at Kuala Lumpur Airport. Source: AFP
THE co-pilot of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was the one who said “All right. Good night”, initial investigations showed, Malaysian officials said.
Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya tonight revealed this at the latest media conference.
It was also revealed that the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) had been deliberately shut down just after Kota Baru, and the transponder turned off near Igari.
Mr Jauhari told reporters that the last transmission from ACARS was at 1.07am on March 8 but it was unknown when it was switched off. It did not transmit 30 minutes later as programmed.
Earlier today it was revealed MH370 may have used a dangerous technique employed by military pilots to fly low over mountainous terrain and avoid detection shortly after it turned away from its original course.
As authorities probing the mysterious disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane focused on the pilots, an unnamed source in Malaysian newspaper the New Straits Times said the Boeing 777 may have dropped to just 5000ft to defeat commercial radar.
“It’s possible that the aircraft had hugged the terrain in some areas which are mountainous to avoid radar detection.”
Officials are reportedly looking at the possibility that whoever was flying the plane used “terrain masking”, something used by military pilots to hug terrain and avoid detection.
Although possible, it is thought such a manoeuvre would be dangerous and put extreme pressure on the jetliner.
The newspaper also said investigators are looking at the possibility the plane took advantage of the busy airways over the Bay of Bengal — far to the west of its intended flight path — so as not to raise the suspicion of military radar.
More than nine days after the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing which was carrying 239 people vanished, the ever-widening search is now covering 11 different countries as well as “deep and remote oceans”.
Several new theories have emerged to explain how it disappeared and where it currently is, including that it may have been flown to Taliban-controlled bases on the border of Afghanistan and North West Pakistan.
Malaysia’s civil aviation chief has explained that the plane may even have been already grounded when some satellite signals were sent long after it vanished from radar screens, while there are now also unconfirmed reports of suitcases being spotted floating in the Malacca Strait.
Such is the magnitude of the search area and the multitude of theories surrounding its disappearance, experts are warning that finding the plane or any wreckage could take months or longer — if it is ever located at all.
Responding to reports that the flight may possibly have come close to Australia, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he didn’t have any such information but “all of our agencies that could possibly help in this area are scouring their data to see if there’s anything they can add to the understanding of this mystery”.
The mood in China, meanwhile, continues to darken over Malaysia’s handling of the search effort. State media and social media users have launched a fresh round of scathing criticism over conflicting information emerging from Kuala Lumpur about the missing plane.
All of this comes as News Corp Australia can reveal the pilot of the missing plane had a daughter living in Australia.
Aishah Zaharie, who lives in Melbourne, has returned to her family in Malaysia as she awaits news of her father, Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah.
Her family has also released a moving video tribute to him on YouTube.
Aishah Zaharie and her father Captain Zaharie Shah. Picture: Instagram Source: Instagram
HELP FROM THE OUTSIDE?
AS the focus of investigators turns to those on board MH370, a former international pilot has said ground personnel would have been needed to assist in any attempt at a key sabotage theory.
Military radar shows the missing jet climbed to 45,000ft and turned sharply to the west before descending unevenly to 23,000ft on the approach to Penang — on the western side of the Malaysian peninsula. It then climbed back to 35,000ft.
One theory is that this was a deliberate manoeuvre to knock out the passengers and crew.
One Boeing 777-200 pilot, who asked not to be named, said climbing above the plane’s service limit of 43,100ft with a depressurised cabin would have achieved that effect.
But retired United Airlines Captain Gary Brauch, who has nearly 40 years experience on the flight deck including 19 years flying Boeing 777s and Boeing 747s, says the captain would have needed help on the ground.
Global view ... passengers look at a ‘digital Earth’ at Kuala Lumpur Airport. Source: AFP
“My recollection of the aircraft systems is that you cannot shut off the passenger oxygen supply from the cockpit or at all in flight,” he said.
“The shutoff valve is located at an external service panel, accessible only to ground personnel.
“The only option for mischief in this area is if this was planned in advance and the oxygen could have been shut off on the ground before departure.
“As to why he went to 45,000ft I would suggest that if he were cutting across lanes of traffic in the middle of the night with his navigation lights and transponder off and wanted to minimise midair collision possibilities, he would choose to climb above normal cruising altitudes.”
News Corp has been told that the biggest danger in climbing to 45,000ft, with a full fuel and passenger load, was the plane losing altitude and stalling.
If this occurred, the flight would become unstable and the aircraft would descend at several thousand feet per minute, an aviation expert says.
The flight can still be recovered but it is a flight phase that pilots are trained to avoid.
“There’s not enough lift produced over the wings to keep the aircraft flying at that altitude,’’ a source said.
“For a modern jetliner, the maximum altitude is generally 41,000-43,000 ft.’’
He said if a cabin was depressurised, oxygen masks would automatically drop for passengers.
Desperate for answers ... a family member from the missing flight in Beijing. Source: Getty Images
“ALL RIGHT, GOOD NIGHT”
The calmly-spoken final words from the cockpit of MH370 — “All right, good night” — were delivered after one of the plane’s communications systems had been disabled, officials have confirmed.
It is not clear if the pilot or copilot of the plane spoke the now — chilling words but officials are sure they were uttered after the Aircraft and Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) was shut down.
Whoever spoke did not mention any trouble on board the Boeing 777, seemingly misleading ground control.
With investigators now focusing in on Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and copilot Fariq Hamid, CCTV footage of the pair walking through security for the final time at Kuala Lumpur Airport before takeoff is being viewed with fresh scrutiny.
The footage shows both men being frisked before walking onto the plane.
Final journey? ... Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah before boarding. Source: Supplied
The jet took off from Kuala Lumpur at around 12:40am on March 8, headed to Beijing. Over the weekend, Malaysia’s government confirmed it was deliberately diverted and may have flown as far north as Central Asia, or south into the vast reaches of the Indian Ocean.
Authorities have said someone on board the plane first disabled ACARS at 1.07am. Around 14 minutes later, the transponder, which identifies the plane to commercial radar systems, was also shut down.
Accordingly, investigators have swung their attentions to those on board — most prominently the pilot and copilot.
Officers have been to the home of Captain Shah and dismantled a flight simulator before setting it up at police headquarters to examine. Experts are now looking at the simulator in a bid to uncover if it shows anything which may be related to the mysterious disappearance.
A POLITICAL PROTEST?
The US intelligence community is leaning towards the theory that “those in the cockpit” were deliberately responsible for whatever happened to the plane, a US official told CNN.
According to British media reports, police are investigating the possibility that Captain Shah hijacked his own aircraft in a political protest.
Under scrutiny ... copilot Fariq Hamid passes through security. Source: Supplied
The pilot was a political fanatic and “obsessive” supporter of Malaysia’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, The Mail on Sunday reported.
Hours before Flight MH370 left Kuala Lumpur, the pilot is said to have attended a controversial trial in which Ibrahim — who has been harassed and jailed on successive charges of homosexuality and sodomy — was jailed for five years.
Police sources say Captain Shah was a political activist and fear that the court decision left him profoundly upset.
Whoever took control of the plane and deliberately flew it off course had an extensive knowledge of aircraft systems — and in all likelihood no one on board had as much expertise as Captain Shah.
Home searched ... Zaharie Ahmad Shah relaxing outside of work. Source: News Corp Australia
“A MAN WELL-LOVED BY MANY”
Captain Shah’s family has posted a moving YouTube tribute to the man they love, featuring a series of family photographs and the song “Somewhere over the rainbow”.
Called a “tribute to a man well-loved by many. The guy we all call Ari, Uncle Ari and Tok Manu Ari”, the clip describes Shah as “loving, reflective, generous, cool, sporting, intelligent, supportive, the list goes on and on ...”
There are photos of him with remote control planes and helicopters and with what appear to be his children and grandchildren.
In the tribute, the family calls for him to “please come home, we miss you”.
“Uncle Ari we patiently and anxiously await your safe return along with the rest of your crew members and passengers. Insyaallah.”
NO RED FLAGS IN BACKGROUND CHECKS
Foreign intelligence agencies have been asked to do background checks on all passengers on the flight but so far have found “no negative records”.
Background checks are also being done on all crew and ground staff, including engineers who had anything to do with the missing plane.
It has also been confirmed that Shah, and copilot Hamid, did not ask to fly together on the Kuala Lumpur to Beijing flight the night the plane disappeared.
Malaysia’s police chief, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, said police continue to focus on the three areas of hijack, sabotage and personal or psychological problems among the crew and passengers, including ground staff.
“We took possession of a simulator, a flight simulator and we have dismantled it from the home (of the pilot) and we have assembled it at our office and we are getting experts to look at it now,” Mr Abu Bakar said.
“Everybody on board MH370 is being investigated, including the pilot and copilot. In mind of the new development we went to the house and took possession of the simulator, everything that would help us in our investigation,” he said, adding this had not been done earlier because “we didn’t see the necessity”.
He said foreign intelligence agencies had been asked to assist by doing background checks on all the passengers and some countries had yet to respond.
Well wishes ... a woman walks past a banner for missing Malaysia Airlines jetliner MH370. Source: AP
“We have not yet received the report of all background checks of all the passengers. As yet there are still a few countries yet to respond to our requests. There are a few foreign intelligence agencies who have cleared all the passengers,” Mr Abu Bakar said.
One possibility that is likely being considered is that one of the two pilots crashed the plane deliberately in a suicide bid. While such incidents have happened before, the topic remains taboo, with crash investigators reluctant to come to this conclusion.
In the latest theory to emerge about the jetliner’s fate, The Independent has reported it may have been flown under the radar to Taliban-controlled bases on the border of Afghanistan and North West Pakistan.
Under pressure ... Malaysian minister Hishammuddin Hussein answers questions. Source: AP
The UK newspaper said Malaysian authorities were seeking diplomatic permission to establish whether it could have been guided undetected through such highly-militarised regions.
Malaysia’s civil aviation chief has already said the plane may have been grounded when some satellite signals were sent long after it vanished from radar screens.
Peter King, chairman of the US House Homeland Security subcommittee on counterterrorism and intelligence, told America’s ABC that “there’s nothing out there indicating it’s terrorists”.
THE EVER-WIDENING SEARCH
At a briefing last night in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s police chief, along with the country’s defence minister, gave details on the latest in the hunt for MH370.
Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said the search now covered 11 different countries as well as “deep and remote oceans” and that 25 countries were now involved.
Items seized ... security guards outside the gatehouse of Captain Shah’s home. Source: AFP
“The search area has been significantly expanded, and the search area has changed. We are now looking at large tracts of land, crossing 11 countries as well as deep and remote oceans,” he said.
Countries known to be involved include Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Australia.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said two RAAF aircraft helping the search would shift their focus to the Indian Ocean after the recent updates on the plane’s flight path.
“If the Malaysians want additional help, we certainly stand ready to supply it,” he said.
Mr Hussein said Malaysian authorities had requested further sensitive satellite data from countries including the US, China and France.
‘There is hope’ ... a note for those aboard MH370 at a shopping mall near Kuala Lumpur. Source: AP
“This is an unprecedented case and what we are going through here … is being monitored across the world and it may change aviation history. I think there is lessons to be learned by everybody,” Mr Hussein said.
He said there had been no demands or contact from any particular groups, making it difficult to determine if the plane had been hijacked.
FRESH BLAST OF CRITICISM
Malaysia has drawn a fresh round of scathing criticism from China over conflicting information on the missing jet, with state media and social media users voicing increasing scepticism as the search enters its 10th day.
In an editorial, the China Daily newspaper questioned why the startling weekend announcements from Kuala Lumpur came more than a week after the flight vanished and wondered whether Malaysia was sharing all of the information it had gathered.
Holding on to hope ... a candlelight vigil held for passengers on the missing flight. Source: AP
“The contradictory and piecemeal information Malaysia Airlines and its government have provided has made search efforts difficult and the entire incident even more mysterious,” the newspaper wrote.
“What else is known that has not been shared with the world?’’ it asked.
Two-thirds of the passengers on board the flight were Chinese and it has remained the most hotly debated topic on Sina Weibo, a Chinese equivalent of Twitter.
“Why is it only now that they’ve confirmed it may have been hijacked?’’ one user wrote. “Malaysia, what else are you hiding?”
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