A new theory has emerged about the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which vanished from radar on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board. According to a former National Transportation Safety Board investigator, the plane may have crashed in the Andaman Sea, almost 3,500 miles north of the current search site.
This theory is based on the pilot’s intent to make a political statement against the current regime by commandeering the plane and flying it to the American military base in Diego Garcia. However, this idea differs significantly from other theories, including the widely believed idea that the pilot was suicidal and intentionally crashed the plane into the southern Indian Ocean.
The disappearance of Flight MH370 remains a mystery to this day, and the families and friends of the victims are still struggling to find closure. Despite extensive efforts, no definitive answers have been found by the governments involved in the search.
This latest theory has sparked interest and controversy, as it could potentially change the course of search operations. It also points to the lack of concrete evidence and information available about the incident, leading to countless theories with varying levels of plausibility being put forward.
The proponent of this new theory, Alan Diehl, is a research psychologist with over 30 years of experience investigating plane crashes. In his book “Best Laid Plans,” he presents the idea that the pilot, Zaharie Ahmad Shah, wanted to make a political statement by flying the plane to the American military base in Diego Garcia.
This theory is based on Diehl’s analysis of the pilot’s mental state and the flight’s erratic movements before disappearing from radar. It also takes into account the verbal message from the pilot to Malaysian air traffic control before the systems were cut off.
Diehl’s theory suggests that the pilot made sharp turns and flew in and out of different countries’ airspace to avoid detection. This could explain why the plane disappeared from radar and why the Malaysian military radar was able to track its movements. The theory also addresses the lack of a motive for the pilot to commit suicide, as reported in the official investigation report released in 2018. However, it also acknowledges the possibility of the first officer, Fariq Abdul Hamid, being locked out of the flight deck, but suggests that he could have re-entered the cabin through a hidden trapdoor.
The official report also mentions no significant changes in the pilot’s lifestyle or mental state, which does not fit the profile of a suicidal hijacker. This is why Diehl’s theory proposes that the pilot wanted to make a statement rather than cause harm. However, the theory also considers the possibility of an accident occurring while the pilot was trying to execute his plan, leading to the crash into the Andaman Sea. Diehl’s research on the history of the Boeing 777 also highlights the potential for accidents in the Electronic and Equipment (E&E) bay, an area that could have been accessed by the pilot during his plan’s execution.
The search for flight MH370 has covered more than 2 million square nautical miles off the coast of Australia in the Indian Ocean. However, Diehl believes that the search should be focused on the Andaman Sea near Malaysia if his theory is correct. He argues that the current search is based on incorrect assumptions and that the plane was actually headed toward Diego Garcia. This would place the crash site closer to the Eastern part of the “Seventh Arc,” which is the area of the search that has not been thoroughly explored.
The Malaysian government has recently announced that they will discuss a new search operation after being approached by private contractor Ocean Infinity, which was involved in the previous search. In response, the company’s CEO, Oliver Plunkett, stated that they have been working on analyzing data and narrowing down the search area, hoping to achieve success in the search for the missing plane. Diehl’s hope in putting forward his theory in his book is to push for a new search operation that focuses on the correct location based on evidence and analysis.
After seven years of searching and millions of dollars spent, the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 remains an aviation mystery. The lack of a concrete explanation and evidence has led to numerous theories, ranging from the plausible to the outlandish.
Diehl’s theory is a new addition to the list, presenting a credible argument backed by research and analysis. However, only time will tell if the Malaysian government will take this theory into account and if a new search operation will finally reveal the fate of Flight MH370.
