With the disappearance of flight MH370, people are baffled at how an entire airplane filled with 239 people can just vanish without even the slightest hint of any problems or trouble. Here are 12 possibilities of what could have happened to the flight.
1. Systemic Failure
There are a number of failures that could have occurred in the airplane’s system. These can range from electric systems to communication systems and even hydraulic controls. The problem could have been caused by any of these occurring individually or in a chain reaction, where the failure of one system could have caused the breakdown of another.
2. Pilot Error
No matter how perfect an airplane’s systems are, the human factor is always one of the uncertainty. Humans are the ones driving these machines, and no matter how much assistance is provided by the computers, the pilot’s control over the plane is what determines its fate.
3. Mechanical Failure
With so many working mechanical parts, the chance that one of them will breakdown or stop working always exists. Any loss of structural integrity in the plane’s fuselage is also a possibility, though there are strict FAA regulations about how a plane’s fuselage is inspected for any signs of weakspots or corrosion.
4. Mid-Air Disintegration
Although this theory is highly unlikely it was stated in Reuters in the following words, “The fact that we are unable to find any debris so far appears to indicate that the aircraft is likely to have disintegrated at around 35,000 feet.” The source that told this to the news agency also went on to say that it could have been a bomb or mechanical incident.
5. On-Board Mechanical Fire or Explosion
This theory was put forward when an oil rig worker claimed to have seen flight MH370 flying overhead in flames. A fire that serious rarely happens unless there is a mid-air collision, but it is possible that any number of variables could have caused the plane to fall apart and caused the fireball reported by an oil rig worker.
6. Rapid/Slow Decompression
This is when the plane’s cabin slowly begins to lose pressure, which creates a lack of oxygen. People on board could have died of hypoxia due to low oxygen conditions, while the plane continued to fly on auto-pilot. This would explain why the plane’s engines were found to be still working perfectly even four hours after it went missing.
7. A Series of Events Resulting In A Crash Far From The Plane’s Last Known Position
It is possible that the crew was dealing with an emergency on board the plane and could not radio back their location. In the case of an emergency, pilots are taught to fly the plane, get somewhere safe, then report the problem to the outside world. It is highly possible that this occurred but that the pilots never reached the last step of the process.
8. Piracy to Andaman Islands
This theory is backed by military reports which say that the plane was last tracked heading towards the Andaman Islands. It is possible that pirates could have hijacked the plane.
9. Hijacking to An Unknown Location
ABC News reported that according to US officials, the planes communication system were shutdown separately, suggesting that the plane did not crash. Since the plane continues pinging satellites four hours after the last communication, it is highly possible that it could have been hijacked and taken to an unknown location. This would also explain the fact that no debris have been found as of yet.
10. Hijacking, Crash Into The Sea
Another possibility if the plane was hijacked, is that the plane could have been forced into the ocean in a suicide attempt by the hijackers. After 9/11 this possibility does not seem that far-fetched. The plane could also have run out of fuel and accidentally crashed into the ocean while hijackers were taken it to some unknown location.
11. Hijacking By The Pilot
This is also not as far-fetched as it seems, with an example occurring just last month where an Ethiopian Airlines flight headed to Rome was hijacked by the co-pilot and taken to Geneva where he sought asylum. One of the pilots of Malaysian Airlines has had suspicious behavior in the past – inviting passengers on to the cockpit and building a flight simulator at home.
12. Military Missile
Though no army in the world would be so cruel as to shoot down an aircraft filled with civilians, there have been cases in the past which make the chances of this happening greater. Iran Air flight 655 was shot down in 1983 and Korean Air flight 007 was shot down in 1988. Could it be possible that another incident may have occurred involving flight MH370?
2 Important Articles You Should Read On The Missing Malaysian Airlines MH370:
1. Wondering Why Is It So Difficult To Find The Crashed Malaysian Airlines MH370? Here Are The Answers
2. 10 Facts They Didn’t Tell You About Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370