A groundbreaking study, recently published, has unveiled the most precise projected flight path of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. This study pinpoints the aircraft’s final location to a remote part of the Southern Indian Ocean. If this data is employed to guide a fresh search for the wreckage, experts believe we could be just months away from unraveling aviation’s most significant mystery.
The authors of this study have developed and refined their technique over three years, employing a scientifically validated approach. They are now hopeful that their findings will encourage Malaysian authorities to authorize a new seabed search in the identified area.
The study, released on September 1st, has been shared with key stakeholders involved in the initial search for the missing aircraft, including the Malaysian Minister of Transport, the Malaysian Accident Investigation Bureau, and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB). Additionally, private search and salvage company Ocean Infinity, which conducted a search in 2018 on a no-find, no-fee agreement, is considering using this new study as a basis for approaching the Malaysian government to negotiate parameters for a new search.
The study’s conclusion highlights its significance: “The results presented in this paper represent credible new evidence in the search for MH370.”
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MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport on March 8, 2014, en route to Beijing Capital International Airport. However, it disappeared from radar screens, leading to a global mystery. The study’s authors, Richard Godfrey, Dr. Hannes Coetzee, and Professor Simon Maskell, used a unique approach. They analyzed radio wave data from ham operators, revealing the aircraft’s movements in areas without radar coverage or consistent satellite data.
Their analysis indicates that MH370 banked south into the Indian Ocean, flying for seven hours and 35 minutes before running out of fuel and gliding for another 11 minutes before crashing. The study verifies 67 positions along the flight path and aligns with Boeing’s analysis, Inmarsat’s satellite tracking data, and the University of Western Australia’s drift patterns of debris recovered from the Indian Ocean.
This updated study builds upon their previous work published in December 2021. Richard Godfrey, one of the authors, emphasizes the significance of this enhanced data, stating that it offers the most precise record of the flight path and the probable crash site.
The study also suggests that someone was in control of the aircraft until the moment of its crash, indicating careful planning by the pilot. The prevailing theory is that the pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, intentionally crashed the plane in a mass-murder suicide, supported by evidence of his isolation and a plotted flight path on his home PC flight simulator.
While various theories about MH370’s disappearance have emerged, including hijacking and explosions, the new study and Inmarsat data seem to negate these possibilities. Some theories, like the one in a Netflix documentary, suggest hijacking by Russian terrorists or U.S. military involvement, but these lack substantial evidence.
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However, there are suspicions of misinformation and cover-ups within the search community, with individuals involved in the search facing threats and harassment.
Finding MH370 is crucial not only for solving a mystery but also for improving aviation safety. Godfrey emphasizes that the aviation industry can maintain its safety record by resolving accidents and incidents comprehensively. He hopes that Ocean Infinity will make a concrete proposal to the Malaysian government for a new search, potentially bringing us closer to solving the MH370 mystery, possibly within months.
