Missing MH370: Investigators Conclude Plane Was Hijacked, AP Reports

Malaysia Star ^ | Saturday March 15, 2014

[nickcarraway]

According to the Associated Press, a Malaysian government official has confirmed that investigators have concluded that one of the pilots or someone else with flying experience hijacked the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370.

The official, who is involved in the investigation, says no motive has been established and it is not yet clear where the plane was taken.

AP is reporting that the official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to brief the media. The official said that hijacking was no longer a theory: “It is conclusive.”

The aircraft’s communication with the ground was severed under one hour into its flight on March 8 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

[Yosemitest]

"European new reports now say that there was a ton of gold on board as cargo."

Link to source ?

[KGeorge]

There’s been similar speculation numerous times on a pilots’ forum. Something about the weights involved & questions about the cargo (no answer) to account for discrepancy in weight (this is over my head- not sure how they figured out the weight, but then industry info?)

I thought that the plane ascending to 40,000/ 45,000 had been ruled out as a possibility.

mylife’s link is an interesting one.

None of this makes sense or too many of the theories might make sense.

[NELSON111]

Here’s a thought: They disappeared at 1:30 am local time. If they flew for another 6:30...that would put them at 0800 local time....but crossing the air space in the middle east early in the morning....b/w 3 and 4 am....which is the perfect time to be somewhere if you want some human error...since its towards the end of the midnight shifts when people are very tired.

[nuconvert]

Iran has plenty of planes already.

[zipper]

They didn’t have to zoom to FL450 (45,000 feet), two thousand feet above the service ceiling to put the passengers out, even with the supplemental oxygen masks deployed. They could have put them out at a much lower cabin altitude, using manual pressurization and the outflow valve.

But if they did, that was a really ballsey move.

Maybe they needed a violent maneuver or two to throw off the flight attendants — make them think there was an emergency and have them take their seats — maybe even make a PA announcement. Meanwhile they’re all slowly (or quickly depending on the cabin altitude) passing out in the back. Still, FL450 put them in danger of losing complete control, and wasn’t required in any circumstance.

Speculation either way.

How did you come up with the gold theory?

[Straight Vermonter]

What if this whole thing was a plot to steal the plane for money? It would make it one of the richest thefts of all time.

[Despot of the Delta]

Here’s something to have fun with

http://www.4key.net/false-flags/awacs-ed-malaysian-airlines-flight-370/

[zipper]

I checked that crackpot link, he claims to be former NSA:

"If this is what really happened, the Zioclan just got a free plane they can use to hit the Sears Tower. NEVER FORGET THAT."

The Zioclan?

[nuconvert]

The gold story was a rumor that went around several days ago. Haven’t heard any more about it since.

[LucyT]

Check out this thread; a lot of graphics and important information here.

Thanks, Maggie. Anyone else mentioned a missing gold shipment? Or is this a sensational rumor?

[null and void]

I don’t think there is an EMP attack using this aircraft planned.

To get a really good EMP effect the bomb has to be above the atmosphere, some 10X the maximum ceiling of a 777.

I won’t rule out a limited area EMP attack, or a more frank nuclear attack, but the airframe is not capable of carrying out a continental EMP attack.

[zipper]

For just one or two men, the pilot and/or copilot for example, to disable or kill all the passengers and crew without any of them resisting or trying to make cell phone calls, the most effective way would be depressurization at altitude. There are a lot of safeguards against that happening.

Agreed -- depressurize to knock them out and even kill them. But there are NOT many safeguards against this. And the cell calls are not going to happen at those high altitudes, unless they are using onboard phones (maybe in the headrests of the back of the seat in front of them).

I think the pilot, supplied with extra O2 from all the crew cabin masks and maybe some emergency bottles, took the plane as high as it could go for both altitude and lack of oxygen. Then the pilot cut the engines off. The pressure would inevitably leave the passenger cabin in a few minutes. The masks would drop but that O2 would last passengers less than 10 minutes if they got them on at all.

Sounds plausible right up to the "shut the engines off" part. That would be (relatively) dangerous. They could easily take over the pressurization manually, and bring the cabin altitude up to as high as they need, up to their cruising altitude.

"Less than 10 minutes" is being generous -- even with their supplemental oxygen the passengers could be forced unconscious in less than five minutes at altitudes around 40,000 feet. Not to mention the cold temperatures if the packs were partially shut off.

[Fear The People]

The gold theory was on the report on television where I live in Europe.

[Fear The People]

The gold cargo story was on today’s news today where I live.
I didn’t hear it, my GF repeated it to me a few minutes after she saw the report somewhere.

The motive can only be:
1.) Valuable cargo stolen (gold?)
2.) Aircraft stolen to be used as a flying bomb fairly soon.

Other 777’s could be used as cover.

This pilot could shadow a legitimate flight on its way into a European city below the radar over a body of water or friendly Islamic nation... cohorts could shoot down a legitimate flight and he could immediately turn on the transponder to clone the killed flight - thereby assuming its identity and flight path.

Then he could fly right into any city he wants with an explosives laden aircraft - nobody would be suspicious as they would be expecting a 777 to be arriving.

Say Iranians were involved... they could blast a 777 full of passengers on its way into, say, Tel Aviv. Then this stolen plane - packed to the gills with high explosives - could then pop up in its place and crash into the Dimona nuclear facility or some other high value target.

This whole story is beyond surreal - but I will bet the facts are:
1.) The pilot stole this plane
2.) Flew to 45,000 feet to kill all passengers
3.) Motive is either cargo or the aircraft itself.
4.) If it’s the aircraft, it is only for spectacular terrorism as there is no other value
5.) The pilot and copilot were both very religious, devout Muslims.

[zipper]

Here's some information about equipment. Todays technology in air traffic control automates hand-offs between different radar facilities. The facility initiating the handoff keys certain functions on the computer that causes the aircraft's data block to start blinking. The receiving facility "joy-sticks" and keys another function key to finish the hand-off, only after he has established radio communication and verification of target data from the pilot. I can't remember how long the data-block will continue to blink if the receiving controller does not finish the acknowledgement of the handoff, but it is a long time. IF the hand-off is not completed, THEN it starts a communication between handing off facility and the receiving facility until the aircraft's position is determined. This is where the pilot or copilot of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 turned off the transponder, and stopped all verbal communication with air traffic control. He probably thought it would allow him a little extra time before the search for his "lost" aircraft would begin, and it did allow a little extra time and question-ability about any primary radar target returns, being on the edge of both radar facilities' distance limits to receive a return. But because of the Letters of Agreement between facilities about how to handle handoffs, it probably caused the "dropped secondary radar target" to generate a search start much quicker than if the aircraft had turned the transponder off after establishing radio communication with the receiving facility (Vietnam). Depending on the volume of traffic that controller was working, if the transponder was turned off a few minutes after saying "hello" to the receiving facility, it would probably have gone longer before it was noticed that the secondary radar (computer generated) target had been dropped.

Are you familiar with ADS-B and CPDLC?

[nuconvert]

Wow, that’s pretty out there.

[cardinal4]

There is one more dangerous person than a Muslim. The person telling you that a Muslim is not dangerous.

Good post, and quite correct; the folks who say it are hoping they are raped and beheaded last..

[zipper]

I agree, SURREAL, beyond the real, unprecedented, fantastic, even unbelievable. Fact is stranger than fiction!

This whole story is beyond surreal - but I will bet the facts are: 1.) The pilot stole this plane 2.) Flew to 45,000 feet to kill all passengers 3.) Motive is either cargo or the aircraft itself. 4.) If it’s the aircraft, it is only for spectacular terrorism as there is no other value 5.) The pilot and copilot were both very religious, devout Muslims.

I can't think of another ideology other than ISLAM, that would inspire such a callous, craven act as this. That was one of the lessons of 9/11! Or at least it was for those of us not consumed with political correctness, as most Democrats tend to be...

Beyond that, the only assertion you made that I have reservations about is "1.) the pilot stole this plane". I don't think we know that just yet; we do know that whoever did it had a good deal of expertise, or was able to ally with the pilots, and/or force the pilot(s) into compliance.

[cardinal4]

Greg Feith said on Today this morning there is no chance this plane traveled somewhere and landed safely.

based on what?

[Fear The People]

Wow, that’s pretty out there.

This whole story is out there.

We can safely assume:

• The pilot prepared for this crime on his own with his very own flight simulator.
• He shut down the systems deliberately, then deviated from his course
• He then flew to 45,000 feet - this could only be to kill all on board.
• He continued flying for 7 hours under the radar.

There are three things he could have wanted:
1.) Hostages - they are now dead as that is why he flew to 45,000 feet and we still have heard nothing from them.
2.) Cargo - There are rumors of gold being on board
3.) An airplane.

It looks more likely that he wanted an airplane. What would a pilot do with even a billion dollars worth of gold as he would never be able to enjoy it. Would he kill 238 people to get it?

An airplane can be packed with explosives and flown into any target he wanted. All should be on alert for this. The Malaysians have been saying that the pilot and copilot were both devout Muslims and were very religious - they were saying this as to reassure us, but in fact, that makes me more suspicious of the whole plot as one to steal an aircraft to be used for terrorism rather than to steal some cargo.

If they get one more rogue pilot, say in an Islamic country's air force - to shoot down a legitimate 777 on its way to, say, Israel, London or almost anywhere - this one can take its place and do its worst.

I am worried that these nutjobs will target a European or Israeli nuclear site and give Europe and the Mediterranean its very own Fukushima.

Sickos.