Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak spoke about Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 370 today, providing an update on the search efforts. Chinese and Australian aircraft have been checking out reports of floating debris which was spotted this morning on images from several satellites. Officials reportedly told family members of those who were on the plane via text message that they are reasonably sure the plane crashed and that no one survived.
Debris seen in Indian Ocean
According to CBC News, Razak began speaking at a press conference at 10 a.m. Eastern. One of the ships heading to the area where the debris was seen was reportedly carrying equipment which should be able to pick up the black box recorder, but it still is unclear if the debris is definitely that of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight.
Currently Australian navy supply ship HMAS Success is the only vessel on the site of the search area, although several aircraft have reportedly spotted the debris while flying overhead, according to ABC News. Family members of passengers on the Malaysian Airlines flight who are staying at the Lido Hotel were said to have collapsed on hearing this morning’s news.
The prime minister said that the plane’s last known location appears to have been “in the middle of the Indian Ocean west of Perth” and that the flight appears to have “ended” there. Family members of passengers on the Malaysian Airlines flight who are staying at the Lido Hotel were said to have collapsed on hearing this morning’s news.
Malaysian prime minister seems confident
Malaysian officials expressed confidence that the debris is indeed that of the missing Malaysian Airlines plan. Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said in this morning’s press conference that it’s possible ships could be pulling some of the wreckage onboard “within the next few hours or by tomorrow morning at the latest.” If the debris does turn out to be from Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 370, then the plane itself could be located hundreds of miles away somewhere in the Indian Ocean.
According to the Detroit Free Press, investigators are speculating that someone shut off the communications system on the Malaysian Airlines plane before it took a detour to the west.
Malaysian Airlines flight’s black box may be recovered
One of the reasons officials may be more confident is because one of the two suspicious floating objects seen by Chinese aircraft was orange. The so-called black box records what happens on an airplane and is the most vital piece of information in determining why an airplane went down. The box itself is actually orange and gives out a ticking sound which helps searchers locate it.
In addition to the orange object, Chinese aircraft also saw two “relatively big” white objects floating in the ocean. Other objects which are floating in the area are reported to be a wooden pallet and “straps,” according to The Telegraph. The site is also reporting that the pilot may have received a call from a “mystery woman” before the plane went down.
