With a high degree of certainty
EZRA MAGAZINE – MARCH 15, 2014
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has confirmed that missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 carrying 239 passengers and crew, including six Australians, was flown off course due to deliberate actions by someone on the plane.
Scheduled to fly from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing in China, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 lost contact with air traffic controllers at 2:40am local time on Saturday, March 8; just over one hour into the six hour flight time.
It has now been reported by Mr Razak that flight MH370 flew off course in a westerly direction, then flew north-west, making its last communication with a satellite at 8:11am on Saturday, March 8, several hours later than originally thought.
“Based on new satellite communication we can see, with a high degree of certainty, that the aircraft communications addressing and reporting system for data was disabled just before the aircraft reached the east coast of the peninsular of Malaysia,” Mr Razak said.
“Today, based on raw satellite data, we can confirm that the aircraft shown in the primary radar data, was flight MH370.”
“Based on this new data, the aviation authorities of Malaysia and their international counterparts, have determined that the plane’s last communication with a satellite was in one of two corridors.”
“The Malaysian authorities have refocused their investigation into the crew and passengers on board.”
“I wish to be very clear that we are still investigating all possibilities as to what caused flight MH370 to deviate off course.”
Around 13 countries are currently involved in the search with no reports that any wreckage or trace of the plane has been found.
Losing contact with civilian radar over water at 120 nautical miles east of Kota Bharu, the Boeing 777-200 is suspected to have been deliberately flown off course with communication devices shut down intentionally by persons on board.
Malaysian officials have stated that two passengers were travelling on stolen passports, but believe both had no contacts with or were a part of any terrorist groups.
The search for the missing plane has now refocused to the southern Indian ocean and in a north-western direction from Malaysia.