It appears that data analyzed by U.S. officials indicates the missing Malaysia flight 370 may have crashed into the Indian Ocean.
Since its disappearance over a week ago, there hasn’t been much evidence as to exactly what happened to the aircraft. Many theories, including the Malaysian Prime Minister’s, include hijacking and piracy.
The Indian Ocean is one place where a commercial airliner can crash without a ship spotting it, radar plotting it or even a satellite picking it up.
The depth and expanse of that area of water makes it one of the most remote places in the world, making the search for the aircraft even more challenging, if not impossible. As such, the international search effort is refocusing on the area, as one of several possible crash sites.
The U.S. officials tell American broadcast networks they have indications the jet is in the Indian Ocean, far west of its intended flight path.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the United States might expand its search into the ocean because of what he calls “new information.” However, he did not give any further details.
Australia, which has island territories in the Indian Ocean, has found it necessary to send rescue planes to assist yachtsmen from the cold, mountainous seas in the south from time to time. The area has no radar coverage much beyond its Indian Ocean coast.
“In most of Western Australia and almost all of the Indian Ocean, there is almost no radar coverage,” an Australian civil aviation authority source said, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak on the record.
“If anything is more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) offshore, you don’t see it.”
Indian military aircraft have flown over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands; another suspected crash site, with more than 500 mostly uninhabited, heavily forested landmasses, with unsuccessful results.
Pings to a communications satellite from the plane indicate that the Boeing 777 may have flown for several hours after disappearing from radar, which has expanded the search area again, now to a 4,000-mile circumference.
Sixty ships and 50 planes from 13 countries are involved in the search, with no definite clues as to where it could have landed or crashed.
I can't imagine the pain and anxiety for those family members of the people aboard Flight 370. Awful situation, and nothing but questions.
— Steve Chiotakis (@RadioChio) March 13, 2014
Meanwhile, for the families anxiously waiting and wondering whether the 239 passengers on flight 370 are still alive, there will be no resolution until this airplane is located.
Malaysia Airlines flight 370: "My gut feeling is that it landed. I still feel his spirit.” http://t.co/sMxuHFcKR4 pic.twitter.com/YZV7yllDPn
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) March 16, 2014
Family members of #Flight370 passengers are frustrated by the lack of information. @CNN's @McKenzieCNN is in Beijing w/ the latest.
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) March 14, 2014
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