Missing flight MH370 crashed into Indian Ocean, Malaysia says
- 9 years ago
Originally published on March 24, 2014
Malaysian authorities confirmed on Monday, March 24, that missing flight MH370 crashed into the south Indian Ocean.
Investigators are growing more certain about the route flight MH370 took on March 8, after data from satellite company Inmarsat showed its last position in the Indian Ocean and debris was spotted by Chinese and Australian search planes about 1,460 miles from Perth, in Australia.
"This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement. "It is therefore, with deep sadness and regret, that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean."
The area where the plane is believed to have gone down has very strong ocean currents and the water is up to 2.5 miles deep, the BBC reported.
The currents mean that debris from the plane may have drifted for tens, even hundreds of miles from the point of impact, making any wreckage extremely difficult to find and recover.
In the meantime, stormy weather has forced Australian authorities to call off a day of searching. Strong winds, large waves, heavy rain and low clouds pose a risk to the crew, said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on Tuesday. The search will be resumed Wednesday, weather permitting, CNN reported. The Malaysian statement confirming the crash of flight MH370 launches an official air crash investigation that would give Malaysia power to coordinate and sift evidence, but not to stop criticism.
China, who had more than 150 citizens on board of the MH370, has strongly criticised Malaysia over how its government handled the search operation and overall situation.
According to Reuters, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Xie Hangsheng has now demanded Malaysia provide all relevant satellite-data analysis to demonstrate its conclusion about the plane's fate is accurate.
The investigation could become one of the most challenging and costly
Malaysian authorities confirmed on Monday, March 24, that missing flight MH370 crashed into the south Indian Ocean.
Investigators are growing more certain about the route flight MH370 took on March 8, after data from satellite company Inmarsat showed its last position in the Indian Ocean and debris was spotted by Chinese and Australian search planes about 1,460 miles from Perth, in Australia.
"This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement. "It is therefore, with deep sadness and regret, that I must inform you that, according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean."
The area where the plane is believed to have gone down has very strong ocean currents and the water is up to 2.5 miles deep, the BBC reported.
The currents mean that debris from the plane may have drifted for tens, even hundreds of miles from the point of impact, making any wreckage extremely difficult to find and recover.
In the meantime, stormy weather has forced Australian authorities to call off a day of searching. Strong winds, large waves, heavy rain and low clouds pose a risk to the crew, said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority on Tuesday. The search will be resumed Wednesday, weather permitting, CNN reported. The Malaysian statement confirming the crash of flight MH370 launches an official air crash investigation that would give Malaysia power to coordinate and sift evidence, but not to stop criticism.
China, who had more than 150 citizens on board of the MH370, has strongly criticised Malaysia over how its government handled the search operation and overall situation.
According to Reuters, Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Xie Hangsheng has now demanded Malaysia provide all relevant satellite-data analysis to demonstrate its conclusion about the plane's fate is accurate.
The investigation could become one of the most challenging and costly