Missing planes

[tonyh29]

Presumably somebody would have tracked any plane that was in the air to shoot it down though? ( if we can track US stealth planes all the way across the Atlantic I'm sure other countries can track a fighter plane especially in that neck of the woods )

Same with surface to air missiles , the one that DPRK fired on a known flight path was detected for example

The oil worker may have seen it and hold the clue ... Fire broke out system went off line and passengers and crew out for the count after pilot headed for nearest base

If it's found it will be at the bottom of the Ocean sadly (IMO)

[Genie]

Presumably somebody would have tracked any plane that was in the air to shoot it down though? ( if we can track US stealth planes all the way across the Atlantic I'm sure other countries can track a fighter plane especially in that neck of the woods )

Same with surface to air missiles , the one that DPRK fired on a known flight path was detected for example

Maybe it was spotted by eye and was in a convenient location to shoot down? Unlikely, but possible, maybe.

[mykeyb]

Residents on the Maldives claiming that they saw a very large jet flying very low (5000ft) hours after the missing plane took off. Now if you look at the direction the plane was thought to be flying when it lost contact !!

[Electric Avenue]

Plane headed to Horn of Africa ?

[leemond2008]

I thought Courtney Love had found the plane???

[tonyh29]

Residents on the Maldives claiming that they saw a very large jet flying very low (5000ft) hours after the missing plane took off. Now if you look at the direction the plane was thought to be flying when it lost contact !!

they reported it as a 747 didn't they

You don't have to be a plan spotter to know the difference between the 2 surely ?

[AshVilla]

I think the low altitude flying under radar theory can be put to bed

 

The aircraft would consume so much fuel pulling off such a maneuver

 

they would not have had enough fuel to carry on for another 5 - 7 hours doing this

Edited March 19, 2014 by AshVilla

[islingtonclaret]

This is the most tragic whodunnit I can remember for years. I can't quite believe that we can use GPS to counteract mobile phone theft crime, yet the someone can switch the ground communication tracking system to 'OFF'. And that despite it being off, it still couldn't be effectively tracked once the military satellite had lost it.

 

Just my opinion (of the moment, subject to change!) but this STINKS of higher government cock up / accident. 

[peterms]

This is the most tragic whodunnit I can remember for years. I can't quite believe that we can use GPS to counteract mobile phone theft crime, yet the someone can switch the ground communication tracking system to 'OFF'. And that despite it being off, it still couldn't be effectively tracked once the military satellite had lost it.

 

Just my opinion (of the moment, subject to change!) but this STINKS of higher government cock up / accident.

I expect there's quite a bit more tracking info than we've been told about. It's sharing it that's the issue.

[Genie]

I can't help but think that the Malaysian authorities know more than they are letting on. There could be many reasons why they appear to be stuck between a rock and a hard place with regards to 'facts' (the people/organisations/governments it implicates) but this just does not stack up.

[Jon]

 

Residents on the Maldives claiming that they saw a very large jet flying very low (5000ft) hours after the missing plane took off. Now if you look at the direction the plane was thought to be flying when it lost contact !!

they reported it as a 747 didn't they

You don't have to be a plan spotter to know the difference between the 2 surely ?

 

This guy was a good plan spotter.

[peterms]

It's always interesting when a media organisation which is very compliant when it comes to "state security" issues tells us "move along, nothing to see here".

 

The BBC has done a review of theories of what happened to the flight.

 

After outlining several ideas about technical malfunctions and quite a few conspiracy theories (stolen, hijacked for cargo or the wealth of the billionaire passengers, commandeered by Uighur Muslim separatists, hidden in Kazakhstan or Pakistan, passengers deliberately killed by decompression, plane hidden to be used later in a terrorist attack), the article briefly mentions speculation that it went to Diego Garcia.

 

However, that is instantly rebuffed, with no further consideration, as though it's on a par with alien abduction:

 

 

One of the more extreme theories circulating online claims that the Kremlin believes that the US "captured" the plane and flew it to its base. With a conspiracy theory of this magnitude it is difficult even to know where to start with the rebuttals.

 

And that's the full extent of the reasoning behind simply dismissing the idea, while exploring others.

 

Where is Diego Garcia, anyway?  I can't see it on the BBC's map.

 

 

Oh, here it is.  I guess there wasn't room to show it, with that text box having to go somewhere.

 

 

 

You might think that with the plane last reported on course for Diego Garcia, and with Diego Garcia being one of the top five landings on the pilot's flight simulator at home, there might be some passing journalistic interest in enquiring further.

 

But of course such an idea would assume it is possible that the US would be prepared to kidnap people, fly them to a high security military base in the middle of nowhere, and lie about doing so.  Obviously such a thing would never happen.  Never has.  All those stories about rendition were just made up.  Conspiracy theories!  So it's safe to accept the statement of the White House spokesman that it's not a runner:

 

 

Asked about the notion that the plane could have landed at Diego Garcia, the US military base in the central Indian Ocean, Carney was dismissive:

I’ll rule that one out.

[Stevo985]

 

Residents on the Maldives claiming that they saw a very large jet flying very low (5000ft) hours after the missing plane took off. Now if you look at the direction the plane was thought to be flying when it lost contact !!

they reported it as a 747 didn't they

You don't have to be a plan spotter to know the difference between the 2 surely ?

 

I wouldn't have the foggiest idea even if the two were sat on the runway in front of me, let alone in the sky.

[Xann]

Sky's coverage of this is vomit inducing.

[leviramsey]

But of course such an idea would assume it is possible that the US would be prepared to kidnap people, fly them to a high security military base in the middle of nowhere, and lie about doing so.  Obviously such a thing would never happen.  Never has.  All those stories about rendition were just made up.  Conspiracy theories!

The US' previous with rendition is ultimately the biggest counterpoint to the Diego Garcia hypothesis: prior US renditions have been ground kidnaps (which are much easier to do, logistically, than hijackings) and utilized other countries (e.g. Jordan, Egypt, etc.) for the dirty work (plausible deniability...).

[LondonLax]

The US government isn't going to take 200 Chinese citizens hostage, that's just crazy talk fueled by people who hate the US. 

[tonyh29]

 

But of course such an idea would assume it is possible that the US would be prepared to kidnap people, fly them to a high security military base in the middle of nowhere, and lie about doing so.  Obviously such a thing would never happen.  Never has.  All those stories about rendition were just made up.  Conspiracy theories!

The US' previous with rendition is ultimately the biggest counterpoint to the Diego Garcia hypothesis: prior US renditions have been ground kidnaps (which are much easier to do, logistically, than hijackings) and utilized other countries (e.g. Jordan, Egypt, etc.) for the dirty work (plausible deniability...).

 

 

the biggest counterpoint is the theory that Peter is referring to from the Kremlin also stated that no plane hit the pentagon on 11/9  and that the US made it disappear and all the people on board (presumably murdered)

 

perhaps that is why the BBC merely dismiss it , it's the work of a fruitcake and not worthy of airtime

[tonyh29]

 

 

Residents on the Maldives claiming that they saw a very large jet flying very low (5000ft) hours after the missing plane took off. Now if you look at the direction the plane was thought to be flying when it lost contact !!

they reported it as a 747 didn't they

You don't have to be a plane spotter to know the difference between the 2 surely ?

 

I wouldn't have the foggiest idea even if the two were sat on the runway in front of me, let alone in the sky.

 

you should hang your head in shame young man

 

it would be like not recognising Thom Yorke in an art gallery

[Seat68]

I like planes but a planes a plane, a big plane is pretty much the same as another big plane. 

[peterms]

 

But of course such an idea would assume it is possible that the US would be prepared to kidnap people, fly them to a high security military base in the middle of nowhere, and lie about doing so.  Obviously such a thing would never happen.  Never has.  All those stories about rendition were just made up.  Conspiracy theories!

The US' previous with rendition is ultimately the biggest counterpoint to the Diego Garcia hypothesis: prior US renditions have been ground kidnaps (which are much easier to do, logistically, than hijackings) and utilized other countries (e.g. Jordan, Egypt, etc.) for the dirty work (plausible deniability...).

 

 

Yes, it would be a different type of operation.  But I don't think the US would see itself as limited to being able to do only individual ground kidnaps.  Or that because Diego Garcia is known to have been used for one type of secret and illegal kidnap, that's the only kind that it might be used for.

 

Personally, I think the technical malfunction and crash suggestion is the more likely explanation.

 

My point is that if you're going to discuss kidnap/hijack theories at all, then why on earth would you dismiss out of hand one involving a place which has very recently been used (probably still is being used) for similar things, which the plane was on course for, where the pilot had practised simulated landings?  What possible grounds could a journalist have for taking seriously some more far-fetched ideas, while assuring us that this one was not even worth a few sentences explaining why it was unlikely?  Naive credulity, complicity, or obedience?  I can't think of other explanations.