Everything you wanted to know about MH370 and its mysterious disappearance...

1. 100km
Approximate
search area
Extended
search area
THAILAND
CAMBODIA
VIETNAM
MALAYSIA
MALAYSIA
Searches are
being conducted
in the northern
part of the strait
Source: The Wall Street Journal
ASIA: TIMELINE: THE HUNT FOR FLIGHT MH370 MALAYSIA PLANE
US FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION DIRECTIVES
THE MYSTERY OF MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH370
SATURDAY MARCH 8
1.30 am MH370 loses contact
with air traffic control an hour
after take-off from Kuala Lumpur.
Vietnam says the plane went
missing near its airspace.
Localised search expands into a
huge international hunt in the
South China Sea.
Late evening, Vietnam says its
planes have spotted two large oil
slicks.
Two passengers on board found
to be travelling on stolen EU
passports, fuelling speculation of
a terrorist attack.
SUNDAY MARCH 9
Malaysia probing possible terror
link to the jet's disappearance.
The US sends FBI agents to assist.
Malaysia says the plane may have
turned back towards Kuala
Lumpur.
Vietnamese plane spots possible
debris in the sea near small
archipelago off southwest
Vietnam. Proves false alarm.
MONDAY MARCH 10
Authorities double the search
radius to 100 nautical miles
around point where MH370
disappeared from radar.
China complains Malaysian
investigation too slow.
Malaysia sends ships to
investigate a sighting of a possible
life raft. False alarm.
Chemical analysis disproves any
link between oil slicks found at
sea and the missing plane.
Boeing experts join the
investigation.
TUESDAY MARCH 11
Search widens to Malaysian
peninsula and area to the north
of Indonesia's Sumatra island.
Interpol names men travelling on
stolen passports as Iranian illegal
immigrants.
Malaysian police focusing on
theories including a hijacking,
sabotage or psychological
problems among those on board.
WEDNESDAY MARCH 12
Search zone expanded to more
than 90,000 square kilometres.
Malaysia reveals unidentified object
was detected on military radar near
the Malacca Strait less than an
hour after plane lost contact.
US regulators warned months
ago of “cracking and corrosion”
problem on Boeing 777s that
could lead to a mid-air break-up.
US officials say no sign of a
mid-air explosion detected when
plane lost contact.
THURSDAY MARCH 13
China’s satellite detects three
large “floating objects” in the
South China Sea.
FRIDAY
Search area shifts and widens.
Reports of “active” pilot
participation in flight direction
changes.
Reports suggests plane may have
kept flying for four or five hours
after “disappearing”.BOEING 777-200
Beijing
Kuala
Lumpur
INDONESIA
2200 nautical miles2200 nautical miles
4048km4048km
CHINA
AUSTRALIA
SIGNAL
ITEM
FLIGHT
370
TRANSPONDERS
Send a unique
four-digit number
identifying the
aircraft along with its
location and altitude
when prompted by
ground radar
No signal after
time of last
confirmed
location
ACARS
A satellite data link
that intermittently
transmits weather
info and detailed
status reports on
selected aircraft
systems
Signals detected
after time of last
confirmed
location
LIFE RAFTS
Transmit
emergency
locator radio
signals when
deployed
No signal
detected
BLACK BOX
Records all flight
data and voice
communications.
Sends out a signal
when in contact with
water.
No signal
detected
“This AD (Airworthiness Directive) was
prompted by fuel system reviews conducted
by the manufacturer, which determined the
electrical arcing on the fuel tank boundary
structure or inside the fuel tanks could
result in a fire or explosion”
“We are issuing this AD because we evaluated
all the relevant information and determined the
usage condition described previously is likely to
exist or develop in other products of the same
type design”
ISSUED DECEMBER 2011, AIRLINES HAVE 60 MONTHS (5 YEARS) TO COMPLY
SI NGA POR E
Kuala Lumpur
International Airport:
Plane takes off at
12.41am local time
Last known location:
Plane loses contact at 1.30am
Strait
of
M
alacca
Strait
of
M
alacca
Based on an air
speed of 480 knots,
this means the plane
could have travelled
an additional 2200
nautical miles
Intended
route