March 8, 2014, marked the beginning of a mystery that continues to baffle experts.
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 239 passengers, took off from Kuala Lumpur, bound for Beijing. Just 40 minutes after departure, it deviated from its planned route and vanished without a trace. To this day, neither the aircraft nor the exact cause of its disappearance has been determined.
The Last Contact
According to WP Tech, the last recorded words from the cockpit were, "Good night, Malaysian three-seven-zero," spoken by the pilot before the aircraft exited Malaysian airspace.
However, instead of tuning into Vietnamese air traffic control, as expected, the plane’s transponder was switched off, and it disappeared from civilian radar.
Military radar continued to track the aircraft for a short time. At 2:15 AM local time, data indicated that the plane had changed course, flying over Penang—hundreds of kilometers off its intended path. By 2:40 AM, Malaysia Airlines confirmed that the aircraft was no longer visible on radar.
A Vanishing Flight Path
Although the exact trajectory of MH370 remains unknown, satellite data from Inmarsat recorded automatic signals, or "pings," from the aircraft even after its transponder and ACARS system were disabled.
These signals suggest that the plane continued flying for at least five more hours, likely heading deep into the Indian Ocean.
Over the years, numerous theories have emerged regarding the aircraft’s fate. Some suggest it was hijacked, while others propose deliberate action by the pilot, pointing to flight simulator data from his home that resembled MH370’s final path.
Ongoing Search Efforts
Despite the passage of time, the search for answers continues.
In 2025, the marine exploration company Ocean Infinity announced plans to resume the search, hoping that technological advancements will provide more precise insights into the aircraft’s possible crash location.
Debris linked to MH370 has surfaced sporadically. In 2015, a piece of a Boeing 777 wing was found on Réunion Island, later confirmed to belong to the missing plane.
In 2023, a retired fisherman claimed he once caught an object resembling an aircraft wing but discarded it, leaving another potential clue unresolved.
The Indian Ocean, where MH370 is believed to have crashed, is vast and deep, reaching depths of over 7,200 meters in some areas.
Although search efforts have mapped potential impact zones, finding the wreckage remains an enormous challenge. Until definitive evidence is found, Flight MH370 remains one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.
