Could you post that article because I don’t remember it???
It’s the Malaysian military who say they tracked the plane from 1:19 until 2:40 that make that claim that it went up to 43,000 for 23 minutes after diversion and then dropped down to 12,000.
No one else would know.
I am still going with a US space based laser assault, meant to send the Chinese and Russians a message. It was the perfect storm. Stolen passports by Iranians, deep water where no one outside the US could get to the plane, deadly cargo on board, pilot with potential emotional issues.
The phone call that came in before the plane took off could have been the signal to the pilot to make that course change. Like a hypnotic suggestion. Pilot makes the change, plane changes course, and zap! Laser takes out communications and cockpit. Pilots try to correct problem, are overcome by the smoke and plane just flys until it runs out of gas.
Would be a great novel.