The Mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (2019)

CNN
10 Dec 202342:08

Summary

TLDRThe mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared in March 2014, remains unsolved. The transcript details the events leading up to the disappearance, the confusion among air traffic control and military responses, and the extensive search efforts that followed. Despite numerous investigations, debris findings on Reunion Island, and the utilization of advanced data from Inmarsat, the cause of the aircraft's disappearance and the fate of the 239 passengers and crew have not been determined. The search, which spanned over 144,000 square miles in the southern Indian Ocean, was the most expensive in history, yet yielded no definitive answers. The story highlights the need for continued investigation and the importance of finding the aircraft for the sake of the victims' families and to understand what caused this unprecedented aviation event.

Takeaways

  • đŸ›Ģ The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 is one of the most enduring aviation mysteries, with the aircraft vanishing five years ago without a trace.
  • 🌟 The plane was considered state-of-the-art and its loss was completely unexpected, highlighting how even the most advanced technology can fail.
  • đŸ˜ĸ The emotional impact on the families of the 239 passengers and crew has been immense, with many left searching for answers and closure.
  • 🔍 Despite extensive searches, including in some of the most remote parts of the world, the aircraft has never been found, leading to numerous theories and speculations.
  • 🛩ī¸ The plane's transponder and ACARS system, which communicate with air traffic control, stopped functioning, leaving the plane 'dark and silent' to the outside world.
  • 🤔 The lack of a distress call from the aircraft suggests that whatever happened occurred quickly and/or was intentionally concealed.
  • đŸ›Ŧ The last known communication from the cockpit was unremarkable, with no indication of the impending tragedy.
  • 🚨 The Malaysian military briefly tracked the aircraft on radar, hundreds of miles off course, but did not act on the information, which was not shared with civilian authorities.
  • 📡 Inmarsat data revealed that the plane continued to fly for several hours after its last known contact, contradicting initial assumptions.
  • 🌐 The search area was expanded dramatically based on mathematical analysis of the Inmarsat data, which suggested the plane ended its flight in the southern Indian Ocean.
  • 🔊 The detection of pings in the search area raised hopes of locating the aircraft, but these were later determined not to be from the plane's black boxes.

Q & A

  • What was the significance of the ACARS system in the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?

    -ACARS, the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System, was significant because it was a communication system that sent out large amounts of information about the aircraft's status. When ACARS stopped transmitting, it indicated a crucial moment where all communication systems were disabled, switched off, or broken, suggesting either a mechanical failure or intentional intervention to make the plane 'go dark.'

  • Why was the handoff between Malaysian and Vietnamese air traffic control considered a critical moment in the flight's disappearance?

    -The handoff between Malaysian and Vietnamese air traffic control was critical because it was a period where the aircraft was essentially in a 'no man's land' in the sky, with no one actively monitoring it. This was the time when the plane's transponder went dark, and it made an unexpected turn, which some investigators believe could indicate nefarious activity.

  • What was the role of the Malaysian military in the disappearance of Flight 370?

    -The Malaysian military spotted a blip on its radar, which was later believed to be MH 370, flying with erratic speed and flight path. However, they did not act upon it immediately, as it was not identified as MH 370 at the time. The military tracked the plane for an hour until it disappeared from radar but did not share this information with civilian authorities, which contributed to the delay in the search and rescue operation.

  • How did the conflicting information from Malaysia Airlines affect the initial search efforts?

    -Malaysia Airlines provided air traffic control with incorrect information, stating that the aircraft was still flying and in normal condition, even though they had no communication with it. This led to a delay in initiating search and rescue operations and caused confusion about the plane's actual location, significantly hindering the initial search efforts.

  • What was the significance of the debris found off the coast of Reunion Island?

    -The debris found off the coast of Reunion Island, specifically a part of the wing known as the flaperon, was significant because it was the first real evidence that confirmed Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 had crashed into the southern Indian Ocean. It provided closure for the families by confirming the plane had ended up in the water, although it did not reveal the cause of the crash or the exact location of the wreckage.

  • What was the role of Inmarsat data in the search for Flight 370?

    -Inmarsat, a British satellite communications company, provided crucial data that changed the direction of the search. The data showed that Flight 370 had exchanged digital signals, known as handshakes, with their satellites, indicating that the plane had been in the air for several hours longer than initially thought. This information led investigators to believe that the plane had flown west and south, significantly altering the search area.

  • Why was the search area in the southern Indian Ocean considered so challenging to search?

    -The search area in the southern Indian Ocean was challenging due to its remote location, vast size, and complex underwater terrain, which included valleys and ocean mountains. The area was also subject to harsh weather conditions, including high seas and strong winds. The search required specialized equipment and techniques, and despite extensive efforts, no wreckage was found in the priority search zone.

  • What was the impact of the lack of a distress call from Flight 370 on the investigation?

    -The absence of a distress call from Flight 370 was perplexing and raised questions about the nature of the disappearance. It suggested that the plane's communications were deliberately shut down or that a sudden catastrophic event occurred without the crew having the chance to send a distress signal. This lack of communication added to the mystery and made it more difficult to determine the cause of the disappearance.

  • What were the qualifications and backgrounds of the pilots of Flight 370, and how did they factor into the investigation?

    -The pilots of Flight 370 were First Officer Fariq Hamid, a young and qualified pilot who had recently been promoted to fly the Boeing 777 without an instructor, and Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a seasoned pilot with over 18,000 hours of flight experience. Both pilots were investigated as part of the search for a possible intentional act, but no evidence was found to suggest either pilot was involved in the disappearance. Their backgrounds and qualifications were considered in trying to understand the events leading to the plane's disappearance.

  • What was the significance of the flaperon found on Reunion Island in understanding the fate of Flight 370?

    -The flaperon found on Reunion Island was significant because it was the first tangible evidence that Flight 370 had crashed into the southern Indian Ocean. The part was identified as belonging to the missing aircraft, confirming that the plane had indeed gone down in the water, which helped to narrow down the search area and provided some closure to the families of the passengers and crew.

  • What were the challenges faced by investigators in determining the cause of the disappearance of Flight 370?

    -Investigators faced numerous challenges, including the lack of physical evidence, the vast and remote search area, the complexity of the plane's potential trajectory, and the absence of any distress call or clear indication of mechanical failure. The limited information available from the ACARS system and the Inmarsat data, along with the conflicting initial reports, added to the difficulties in determining the cause of the disappearance.

Outlines

00:00

🚁 Disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

The first paragraph introduces the mystery of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared five years prior to the script's context. It discusses the unexpected nature of the incident, the extensive search efforts, and the emotional impact on the families of the missing passengers and crew. The narrative also sets the scene at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on the day of the flight, highlighting the aircraft's preparation for departure and the credentials of the pilots, First Officer Fariq Hamid and Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah.

05:02

🛩 The Routine and the Unexpected Turn

This paragraph details the routine nature of the flight's initial phase, the sudden disappearance of the plane's transponder signal, and the unexplained turn off course. It raises questions about the lack of a distress call and suggests potential reasons for the aircraft's diversion. The discussion involves various experts, including former safety inspectors and aviation correspondents, who weigh in on the possible scenarios, including intentional diversion, communication failure, or mechanical problems.

10:02

đŸ•ĩī¸â€â™‚ī¸ Investigation and Miscommunication

The third paragraph focuses on the confusion during the investigation, particularly the miscommunication between air traffic control and Malaysia Airlines. It describes how the airline's internal flight tracking system provided incorrect information, leading to a delayed response in initiating a search and rescue operation. The narrative criticizes the airline for providing unhelpful and, at times, damaging information, and highlights the crucial delay in notifying emergency responders.

15:11

🌐 Global Search Efforts and Conflicting Information

This section covers the extensive search efforts that followed the disappearance of Flight 370, the conflicting reports provided by authorities, and the challenges faced by the Malaysian government and airline officials. It discusses the public's perception of the investigation, the emotional turmoil of the families, and the various theories that emerged, including hijacking and mechanical failure. The paragraph also touches on the military's tracking of the plane and the lack of immediate action.

20:14

🔍 The Search Area Confusion

The fifth paragraph delves into the confusion surrounding the search areas for the missing plane. It describes how authorities initially focused on the South China Sea before shifting their attention to the western area based on military radar data. The narrative highlights the challenges of conducting the search, including the lack of debris and the vastness of the search area. It also mentions the role of Inmarsat data in shifting the focus of the search.

25:16

📡 Inmarsat's Revelation and the Prime Minister's Announcement

This paragraph reveals the pivotal moment when Inmarsat, a British company, provided data showing that Flight 370 had been in contact with their satellites, suggesting the plane had flown for several hours longer than initially believed. Using complex calculations, Inmarsat was able to determine the plane's general flight path. Based on this information, Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak announced that Flight MH 370 had ended in the southern Indian Ocean, a conclusion met with shock and disbelief by the victims' families.

30:17

đŸ›ŗī¸ The Underwater Search and False Leads

The sixth paragraph discusses the underwater search efforts led by the Australian ship Ocean Shield, which detected pings believed to be from the aircraft's black boxes. However, these pings were later determined not to be from Flight 370, causing a significant setback in the search. The narrative emphasizes the frustration and disappointment felt by investigators and the families of the missing.

35:19

đŸ•ĩī¸â€â™€ī¸ Investigating the Crew and Passengers

The seventh paragraph shifts the focus to the investigation of the individuals on board Flight 370. It examines the backgrounds of First Officer Fariq Hamid and Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, finding no apparent motive for them to deliberately crash the plane. The narrative also explores the possibility of a hijacking or other passenger involvement, but no suspects matching the profile of a hijacker are identified.

40:19

🏝ī¸ The Flaperon Discovery and Ongoing Hope

In the eighth paragraph, the search for Flight 370 continues with the discovery of a flaperon, a part of the wing, on Reunion Island. This confirmation that the plane crashed into the southern Indian Ocean provides some closure for the families but also fuels hope for finding more wreckage. The narrative describes the immense challenges of searching the vast and remote Indian Ocean.

đŸ”Ŧ Unresolved Mystery and the Search for Answers

The final paragraph summarizes the ongoing mystery of Flight 370, with investigators from eight countries unable to determine the cause of the disappearance. Despite searching over 144,000 square miles and examining over 30 pieces of debris that washed ashore, the exact location and circumstances of the crash remain unknown. The narrative concludes with a message of hope that the plane will eventually be found, emphasizing the importance of understanding what happened for both humanitarian and safety reasons.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, also known as MH370, refers to a commercial passenger flight that mysteriously disappeared on March 8, 2014. The plane, a Boeing 777, was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Its disappearance remains one of the biggest aviation mysteries, as despite extensive searches, its wreckage has never been conclusively found, and the cause of the incident is still unknown.

💡ACARS

ACARS stands for Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System. It is a digital data link system for transmission of short, relatively simple messages between an aircraft and ground stations via radio or satellite. In the context of the video, ACARS is significant because it was the system that stopped transmitting from MH370, indicating a critical failure or intentional disablement of communication, which was a pivotal moment in the disappearance.

💡Transponder

A transponder is a device that responds to an incoming signal by sending a reply. In aviation, it is used to help air traffic control track aircraft by providing information such as altitude, speed, and identity. The video mentions that the plane's transponder went dark, which means it stopped sending out its signal, contributing to the loss of the aircraft's location and adding to the mystery of its disappearance.

💡Radar

Radar, which stands for Radio Detection And Ranging, is a system that uses radio waves to determine the position of objects. It is a crucial tool for air traffic control and military surveillance. In the case of MH370, radar data played a significant role as it suggested the aircraft had made an unexpected turn and was tracked for some time before it disappeared, which was a key piece of information in the search efforts.

💡Black Box

The term 'Black Box' refers to the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of an aircraft. These devices are critical for crash investigations as they provide information about the flight's final moments. The search for MH370's black boxes is central to the video's narrative because they hold the potential to reveal the cause of the incident. However, despite extensive searches, they have not been found.

💡Inmarsat

Inmarsat is a British satellite telecommunications company that provides global mobile services. In the context of the MH370 disappearance, Inmarsat data played a crucial role as it provided the only evidence that the aircraft had flown for several hours after its last known contact. The company's satellite 'handshakes' with the aircraft allowed investigators to make mathematical calculations that shifted the search area to the southern Indian Ocean.

💡Flaperon

A flaperon is a part of an aircraft wing that combines elements of a flap and an aileron, used to control the roll and provide lift. The discovery of a flaperon on Reunion Island was the first tangible evidence that MH370 had crashed into the Indian Ocean. This piece of debris was confirmed to be from the missing plane, providing a tragic confirmation of the fate of the aircraft but not its location.

💡Search and Rescue (SAR)

Search and Rescue (SAR) operations are missions designed to locate and deliver aid to people who are in distress or missing. In the video, SAR efforts are highlighted as they represent the extensive, international attempts to find any survivors or wreckage from MH370. The scale and duration of these operations reflect the severity and complexity of the situation.

💡Debris

In the context of the video, 'debris' refers to the wreckage or parts of the aircraft that have been found washed ashore in various locations. The discovery of debris pieces, although providing some closure, has not led to the identification of the main crash site. These fragments are a poignant reminder of the missing aircraft and the ongoing mystery.

💡Underwater Search

The underwater search is a critical part of the effort to locate the missing aircraft, as it is believed that MH370 crashed into the southern Indian Ocean. The video discusses the use of advanced technology, such as towed pinger locators and robotic submarines, to scan the ocean floor in the search area. Despite these efforts, the wreckage has not been found, and the search continues to be a significant part of the investigation.

💡Aviation Safety

Aviation safety encompasses the techniques and methods used in the aviation industry to ensure that flying remains one of the safest modes of transport. The video touches on aviation safety in the context of the rigorous training and checklists that pilots follow. The disappearance of MH370 raises questions about potential gaps in aviation safety protocols and the need for continuous improvement in this area.

Highlights

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared five years ago with a state-of-the-art aircraft, leaving hundreds missing and sparking a global mystery.

The plane's transponder went dark 40 minutes into the flight, with no distress call, leading to speculation of human intervention or mechanical failure.

The plane made unexpected turns off course shortly after the transponder stopped, raising questions about whether this was intentional or due to duress.

Despite rigorous training, First Officer Fariq Hamid was flying the aircraft without an instructor for the first time, though he was up to date on its operation.

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah had over 18,000 hours of flight experience and was considered highly competent by peers.

The Boeing 777 had multiple backup systems for critical electric or hydraulic components, indicating a high level of safety and redundancy.

The Malaysian military tracked the plane for an hour on radar before it disappeared, but did not share this information with civilian authorities.

Malaysia Airlines initially provided incorrect information about the plane's location based on an internal tracking system that was not reliable for positioning.

Air traffic control did not notify emergency responders for four hours after it was clear the plane was lost, a delay that hindered the initial search.

Inmarsat data revealed the plane had been in contact with satellites, proving it was in the air for several hours longer than initially thought.

Using mathematical calculations, Inmarsat was able to determine the plane's likely flight path, suggesting it went south into the Indian Ocean.

The search for MH 370 became the largest oceanic search in history, covering millions of square miles with no significant findings for over a year.

A flaperon found off the coast of Reunion Island was confirmed to be from the missing plane, providing the first physical evidence of the crash.

Despite extensive searches and the discovery of over 30 pieces of debris, the cause of the disappearance remains unknown, and the plane has not been found.

Investigators from eight countries could not determine the cause of the disappearance, and the final safety report published in 2018 stated significant questions remain unanswered.

The search in the southern Indian Ocean spanned over 144,000 square miles, with the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau leading the effort.

The disappearance of MH 370 is considered one of the greatest aviation mysteries, with the need for continued search efforts emphasized by the families of the missing and the broader aviation community.

Transcripts

00:03

â™Ē â™Ē

00:05

- Malaysian 370.

00:07

- It's been five years since a state of the art

00:10

aircraft disappeared.

00:12

- Nobody expected triple seven to vanish.

00:15

It just doesn't happen.

00:16

- Where is Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?

00:21

- Hundreds of loved ones gone missing.

00:24

[wailing]

00:28

- Years of searching.

00:31

- It's in exactly the most remote part of the world.

00:37

- The surprises.

00:39

- Debris found off the coast of Reunion Island

00:42

in the Indian Ocean.

00:44

- The second piece of MH 370s wreckage picked up.

00:47

- And the setbacks

00:48

- It was terrible, it felt like we were

00:50

right back at the beginning again.

00:53

- Questions still unanswered.

00:55

- We need to know what happened.

00:58

And the only way you're going to do it is

01:00

to find the aircraft.

01:04

- There's just too much at stake here to say we're going to stop.

01:09

- Now, Vanished, the Mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.

01:15

â™Ē â™Ē

01:23

- March 8, 2014,

01:27

Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

01:32

Just after midnight, the pilots of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

01:37

are preparing for takeoff.

01:39

- It's all about checklists in aviation,

01:41

they're going through checklists.

01:43

- Miles O'Brien is a pilot and aviation analyst for CNN.

01:47

- It doesn't matter how mundane it is,

01:49

how many times you've done it, you do it religiously because

01:53

that is absolute foundation of safety and aviation.

01:58

- In the cockpit, 27 year old First Officer Fariq Hamid.

02:04

This video shows him training on the triple seven,

02:06

flight 370 was his first time flying

02:09

the aircraft without an instructor.

02:12

- So, while his experience of it might have been low

02:14

on the aircraft, he was totally up to date on how to fly it.

02:19

A lot of airline pilots told me these are the best people to fly

02:21

with because they've just come out of rigorous training.

02:27

- Next to Fariq, Zaharie Shah, a captain with over

02:31

18,000 hours in the air and a stellar reputation.

02:41

- Nick Huslan is a former chief pilot for Malaysia Airlines.

02:58

- And there was real confidence in the aircraft

02:59

they were about to fly, the Boeing triple seven.

03:03

- It's a great airplane, it's got a sterling record of safety.

03:14

- For any critical electric or hydraulic system that

03:16

would fail, there are two or three backup systems.

03:22

After making their final preparations,

03:24

the pilots are ready for pushback.

03:32

- At 12:32am the pilots taxi to the runway.

03:47

- Cleared for departure, flight 370 takes off

03:52

for a five and a half hour scheduled flight to Beijing.

03:55

â™Ē â™Ē

04:09

- By 1am, the crew and 227 passengers

04:13

on board are cruising comfortably at 35,000 feet.

04:16

Even the pilots can relax a little,

04:19

the plane is basically now flying itself.

04:24

- There was no particular challenge there

04:27

for a seasoned captain, and that first officer

04:30

to handle that flight without any problem.

04:34

- And in 1:07am, all seems well, according

04:37

to an automatic message sent from the

04:39

aircraft's communication system called ACARS.

04:43

Richard quest is an anchor

04:44

and aviation correspondent for CNN.

04:47

- Think of ACARS as a giant smartphone

04:53

that will send out huge amounts of information

04:57

via satellite or by radio transmission.

05:01

- Then at 1:19am, a standard handoff with air

05:05

traffic control as the plane leaves Malaysian

05:08

airspace and enters Vietnamese airspace.

05:27

- There was no indication

05:30

that anything had gone wrong.

05:32

- David Soucie is a former safety inspector for the FAA.

05:36

So, for the first 40 minutes of this flight,

05:39

up to that point, everything has been routine.

05:41

- Mhm, yes.

05:43

- Everything was routine until now.

05:45

Two minutes after talking with air

05:47

traffic control, 40 minutes into the flight,

05:50

the plane's transponder goes dark.

05:53

- The plane's transponder is effectively the instrument

05:56

by--which sends out a signal to air traffic control.

06:00

It tells you what height it's at,

06:02

which direction, and what speed it's traveling.

06:05

Suddenly, this giant triple seven is--is blind to the world.

06:12

- And there's no easy explanation for why it happened.

06:15

- Either it was intentional and someone tried to turn all

06:18

of those systems off at once, or the pilot was unable

06:21

to communicate, kept from communicating,

06:24

or there was a mechanical failure of some kind

06:26

that took all those systems out at one time.

06:30

- Then, minutes after the transponder stops,

06:33

the triple seven makes an unexpected turn

06:36

heading west, and way off course.

06:40

- That the plane turned immediately

06:42

after the transponder went off is

06:46

completely inexplicable, and very worrisome.

06:50

- Peter Goelz is a former Managing Director of the NTSB.

06:54

- We don't know whether this was done voluntarily,

06:57

whether it was done under duress, we simply have no idea.

07:02

- No idea what really happened, but Goelz sees a red flag.

07:07

- It was completely out of the ordinary that there was

07:10

no distress call, that the turn takes place and there's absolute

07:15

silence, it means that somebody on that plane redirected it

07:20

to a new course heading and they were not telling anyone.

07:25

- Not telling anyone and never checking

07:28

in with Vietnam air traffic control.

07:31

- The fact that that westerly turn happens at

07:35

the point of handover between Malaysia and Vietnam,

07:39

for many, is the strongest evidence

07:42

that something nefarious was going on.

07:45

- You've investigated many incidents,

07:49

is that coincidence, that everything seems

07:52

to go wrong at this particular critical moment?

07:56

- It can't be coincidence,

07:58

I don't believe in coincidence with my accidents.

07:59

It just seems to me that there was something,

08:03

now it doesn't mean that it was nefarious,

08:04

it doesn't mean anything else, but remember, there's a lot

08:07

of systems doing a lot of things at that time as well.

08:10

- So, the critical moment is immediately after this

08:13

handover when you're essentially in this

08:15

kind of no man's land in the sky.

08:17

- Yeah, nobody's watching right then.

08:22

- No one was watching and flight 370 would vanish.

08:28

â™Ē â™Ē

08:32

- Coming up, a critical mistake by

08:35

air traffic control with time running out.

08:40

- The aircraft was still flying as we know now,

08:42

that just is so painful to think about,

08:45

that four hours later, no one's looking yet.

08:49

â™Ē â™Ē

08:58

â™Ē â™Ē

09:01

- In the middle of the night on March 8, 2014, at 1:21am,

09:07

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanishes into thin air.

09:13

There's been silence from the cockpit

09:15

and by 1:37am, a second flight communication

09:19

system, ACARS, isn't working either.

09:25

- ACARS was either switched off or it failed,

09:30

we don't know which because whatever did happen,

09:33

this is the crucial moment.

09:35

We pretty much know that all the comms are

09:39

disabled, switched off, broken, blown up.

09:43

- As an investigator looking at this,

09:44

what would the determination be, at least to this point,

09:47

as to what is happening?

09:49

- At this point, I've got two different paths.

09:52

One is that that aircraft was taken over

09:55

and that the systems were intentionally set--shut down.

09:58

The other side would be that there was a singular failure

10:01

at a common location, and that singular mechanical

10:05

failure would have done exactly the same thing.

10:07

At this point in the investigation,

10:09

there's no evidence one way or the other.

10:12

- But there would be piles of evidence if

10:15

ACARS hadn't stopped transmitting.

10:18

- You'd know the condition of the engines,

10:20

the route it was taking, the altitudes it was taking,

10:24

we would know exactly the state of that aircraft.

10:27

â™Ē â™Ē

10:29

- Just the kind of information someone taking

10:32

over a plane wouldn't want anyone to know.

10:36

- If you were doing something nefarious, then switching off

10:39

ACARS would be a crucial part of making the plane go dark.

10:47

- The plane was dark and silent.

10:51

There was still no check-in with Vietnam

10:53

air traffic control, a call former chief pilot

10:57

Nick Huslan has made thousands of times.

11:18

- Around 1:27am, Ho Chi Minh's control

11:21

center tries to reach the aircraft.

11:24

- They tried the radio, they tried to call and see if

11:27

MH 370 was out there, no response.

11:29

- You attempt to communicate

11:30

directly with the aircraft first?

11:31

- Right, that's the first thing you do.

11:33

If that's not successful, then you try to contact other

11:35

aircraft around and they did do that, and those airplanes

11:38

tried to raise MH 370 as well, no success.

11:43

- With no response, an air traffic controller

11:46

in Kuala Lumpur calls Malaysia Airlines for help.

11:51

- I think fundamentally, you have to assume nobody

11:53

expects one of these planes to fall out of the sky,

11:56

nobody expects a triple seven to vanish.

12:00

- And Malaysia Airlines tells air traffic

12:02

control a completely different story.

12:06

They say MH 370 hasn't vanished at all,

12:11

according to their own internal flight tracking system.

12:14

- Malaysia Airlines says, "Oh, the aircraft's fine,

12:17

we know exactly where it is."

12:19

- Yet, they've had no communication with the aircraft.

12:20

- They've had none, they've had none.

12:22

So their system was showing that the aircraft

12:26

had continued to go on that heading.

12:30

- Over the next hour and a half, Malaysia Airlines gives

12:33

air traffic control more promising messages.

12:36

They had exchanged signals with the flight, the plane was

12:39

in normal condition, and the plane was flying

12:42

off the coast of Vietnam along its scheduled flight path.

12:46

- And at that point, the guard is let down, you start

12:48

going in a different direction, you're not search and rescue

12:51

anymore, you're just trying to communicate.

12:53

- But an hour and a half after that

12:56

first reassuring message, a tragic realization.

13:00

Malaysia Airlines now tells air traffic control

13:03

the information was wrong.

13:06

- We don't know where the aircraft is.

13:08

Our system told us it was there, but it wasn't.

13:12

- The airline tells air traffic control their

13:14

flight tracking program was based on flight

13:16

projection and not reliable for aircraft positioning.

13:22

- Everything went wrong there, everything,

13:25

it borders on scandal.

13:27

The airline in the middle, there, just offering up,

13:31

just, complete red herrings and dead ends, it's inexcusable.

13:37

- At best,

13:39

the Malaysia Airlines information

13:44

to air traffic control was unhelpful.

13:48

At worst, it was downright damaging

13:52

to getting an investigation and a search underway quickly.

13:59

- Not only did Malaysia Airlines have bad information,

14:03

air traffic control waited to sound the alarm.

14:07

- I think air traffic control waits so long because

14:10

it's just a normal confusion of the moment, but at some point

14:13

in all of this, an air traffic controller can push the big

14:17

red button that says,

14:20

help, panic, missing plane.

14:25

And that's what they didn't do until much later.

14:28

â™Ē â™Ē

14:30

- Not until four hours after it's clear the plane

14:33

is lost, did air traffic control notify emergency responders.

14:39

- That, just, is so painful to think about,

14:42

that four hours later, no one's looking yet.

14:47

- As precious hours pass, time is running out.

14:52

While flight 370 flies further and further over

14:55

one of the world's largest oceans.

14:58

â™Ē â™Ē

15:01

- Coming up, what happened onboard flight 370?

15:11

â™Ē â™Ē

15:22

â™Ē â™Ē

15:28

- In the pitch black darkness, minutes after its last

15:30

radio contact, the Malaysian military spots

15:33

a blip on its radar, its speed and flight path erratic.

15:37

They don't yet know, it is MH 370.

15:43

- If you see a primary unidentified return

15:47

flying towards your country at 500 plus knots,

15:51

that should raise concerns very quickly.

15:56

- But it didn't seem to.

15:58

By now, the triple seven is believed to be

16:01

hundreds of miles off its original course.

16:04

- We don't know what's normal for their military and I think

16:07

that a big part of the problem with this investigation is that

16:11

the Malaysians were very tight lipped about what they had,

16:15

what they knew, and when they knew it.

16:18

- The Malaysian Air Force continued to track the plane

16:21

for an hour until it disappeared from radar.

16:24

They never tell anyone with civilian authority.

16:28

- Governments don't want to talk about this, they don't want

16:30

to talk about holes in their radar system, a posture which is

16:35

not as ready as they want the world to believe it to be.

16:38

- Not only is no one told, nothing is done,

16:42

no jets are scrambled.

16:44

The military would say later, they chose not to intercept

16:46

the plane because it was friendly and did

16:49

not pose a threat to national security.

16:52

- Why would you have an Air Force if it's

16:54

not capable of doing something like this?

16:56

That's a big error, that's a big mistake,

16:58

and frankly, the Malaysian government

17:01

has not really accounted for it in a proper way

17:03

to these families, and to the rest of the world.

17:05

- For David Soucie, however, there's a gray area.

17:09

- Here in the United States, we would know that

17:11

in a heartbeat, over there, it wasn't set up that way.

17:13

It was a clear delineation of firewall

17:16

between military and civil operations,

17:19

and the two just didn't meet each other.

17:20

- A missed opportunity.

17:22

- Exactly.

17:25

- On the ground in Beijing, of course, the families waiting

17:28

patiently for the arrival of flight 370 knew none of this.

17:33

Finally, an hour after the plane was expected to land.

17:37

Malaysia Airlines makes its first

17:39

public announcement on Facebook.

17:42

- This flight, MH 370, lost contact

17:47

with Subang Air Traffic Control

17:50

at 2:40am this morning.

17:56

- It quickly becomes the biggest story in the world.

17:59

- Where is Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?

18:02

- More questions than there are answers.

18:04

- The hunt for flight 370 now covers millions of square miles.

18:07

- The world's attention turns to the Malaysian

18:09

government and airline officials.

18:12

To many critics, they don't seem to know

18:14

what they're talking about.

18:16

- There was a deer in the headlights

18:18

component to those early news conferences.

18:21

And you can almost see them struggling through it,

18:23

not knowing what they were doing.

18:25

- We cannot indulge in speculation at this stage.

18:27

- Not understanding how to begin the investigation.

18:29

- There are currently 43 ships and 40

18:32

aircraft searching for it.

18:33

- An unprecedented investigation that would

18:36

baffle the greatest minds in the aviation

18:39

world and the accident investigation world.

18:41

- They put out information without really corroborating it,

18:43

and much of it turned out to be false.

18:45

- I would like to refer to news reports

18:47

suggesting--suggesting that the aircraft may have

18:50

continued flying for some time after last contact.

18:54

As Malaysian Airlines will confirm

18:55

shortly, those reports are inaccurate.

18:59

- So they ended up, you know, on both sides

19:01

of a bad situation with too little information.

19:05

[wailing]

19:07

- Even days after the plane disappeared,

19:10

families believe they aren't being told the truth.

19:12

[wailing]

19:16

- This Chinese woman demanded answers just

19:18

before another press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

19:21

She didn't get any.

19:25

- After ten days to two weeks,

19:28

there was a public perception

19:30

that was set in stone, that the Malaysians were

19:33

not able to handle this situation,

19:36

and that they were having trouble.

19:38

- As far as the images is--are concerned,

19:42

I don't think we can actually verify when they were taken,

19:45

I will check with the Australian

19:46

- Excuse me, hold on ladies and gentlemen.

19:49

- Sorry, but this is very important.

19:50

- I know, I know, I know it is very important.

19:53

- Family members were left asking what

19:56

on earth was happening.

19:58

- And one wonders whose interests are being

20:00

served or protected by this long wait,

20:04

and something that's increasingly feeling

20:06

surreal and rapidly turning into a farce.

20:10

- The main priority area is the orange area.

20:13

- Adding to that, the early conflicting reports

20:16

on where authorities think the plane actually is

20:19

and whether it had turned or not.

20:22

- Initially, the Malaysians said there was no turnaround,

20:24

the transport minister said no turnaround.

20:28

And he was very definitive, and that

20:29

was misleading, and that was wrong.

20:32

It's noticeable in the day, and days after,

20:34

he became--he hedged--he hedged.

20:37

He suddenly--I'm not talking about that,

20:39

I'm not saying that, we're not commenting on that.

20:42

- Weeks after the flight vanished,

20:43

Richard Quest put some of those questions

20:46

to Malaysia's, then, Prime Minister.

20:48

- What would you say to the critics, and be blunt,

20:50

Prime Minister, who say Malaysia wasted

20:52

time at various parts of the investigation?

20:55

- I don't think they were fair criticism.

20:58

You remember when the plane was reported last,

21:02

I was briefed that morning, and I took the decision that we

21:08

must search both areas, the South China Sea

21:12

and the northern part of the Straits of Malacca.

21:16

- But no one was willing to comment

21:17

either on the biggest unanswered question.

21:20

Did MH 370 vanish because somebody

21:23

with intent took over its controls?

21:31

- Nick Huslan has piloted the plane thousands of times.

21:40

- No matter what scenario you go with.

21:42

We're deep into the world of crazy, crazy scenario,

21:46

obscure scenario, evil scenario, whatever it is,

21:49

it's--it's--we're in crazy land, right?

21:51

This is stuff that doesn't happen.

21:54

- But it did happen, a truly astounding mystery.

21:59

There is only a handful of verifiable facts,

22:02

and after the confusion, delay, and chaos engendered

22:06

in the first few weeks, comes this, a completely

22:10

different search area based purely on mathematics.

22:14

- It's never been done before.

22:17

They were making it up as they go along.

22:20

They were using information that was

22:21

never intended to be used for this purpose.

22:24

- Coming up, searching in all the wrong places.

22:28

Why was there so much confusion when it came to where to search?

22:32

- We had no idea where that aircraft was,

22:35

but yet the pressure's on to do something.

22:37

â™Ē â™Ē

23:02

â™Ē â™Ē

23:07

- On the morning of March 8, four hours after flight

23:10

370 disappears, a search is launched

23:13

in the South China Sea, east of Malaysia.

23:16

[shouting]

23:18

- As with any search, you start where the plane was last seen.

23:22

- We begin this morning with a desperate search at sea

23:25

after a jet carrying 239 people vanished

23:28

off the southern coast of Vietnam.