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| Mystery deepens as Malaysia says vanished airliner may have been turning around | Mystery deepens as Malaysia says vanished airliner may have been turning around |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BEIJING — The mystery surrounding the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines plane thickened Sunday after investigators said the plane appeared to turn around before vanishing from radar screens, and as authorities examined closed-circuit television footage of at least two passengers, apparently traveling together with stolen passports. | BEIJING — The mystery surrounding the disappearance of a Malaysia Airlines plane thickened Sunday after investigators said the plane appeared to turn around before vanishing from radar screens, and as authorities examined closed-circuit television footage of at least two passengers, apparently traveling together with stolen passports. |
| Ships and planes from at least a half-dozen countries expanded their search for the plane, which is presumed to have crashed in the Gulf of Thailand off Vietnam with 239 people aboard, after finding two large oil slicks consistent with a downed airliner the day before, but no debris. | Ships and planes from at least a half-dozen countries expanded their search for the plane, which is presumed to have crashed in the Gulf of Thailand off Vietnam with 239 people aboard, after finding two large oil slicks consistent with a downed airliner the day before, but no debris. |
| After insisting for 24 hours that investigations were continuing, Malaysia Airlines acknowledged Sunday that it was “fearing the worst.” | After insisting for 24 hours that investigations were continuing, Malaysia Airlines acknowledged Sunday that it was “fearing the worst.” |
| Information about passengers believed to be traveling with stolen passports has only added to the mystery surrounding Flight MH370, a red-eye from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, and stirred speculation of terrorism. | Information about passengers believed to be traveling with stolen passports has only added to the mystery surrounding Flight MH370, a red-eye from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, and stirred speculation of terrorism. |
| European officials indicated Saturday that two people on board were using passports that had been stolen in Thailand. Flight booking information showed the passengers had consecutive ticket numbers, and both were booked on a subsequent flight from Beijing to Amsterdam. One of the passengers was due to proceed to Frankfurt, Germany, and the other to Copenhagen. | European officials indicated Saturday that two people on board were using passports that had been stolen in Thailand. Flight booking information showed the passengers had consecutive ticket numbers, and both were booked on a subsequent flight from Beijing to Amsterdam. One of the passengers was due to proceed to Frankfurt, Germany, and the other to Copenhagen. |
| Malaysia’s Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that intelligence officials were also checking the identities of two other passengers, according to the Associated Press. | Malaysia’s Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that intelligence officials were also checking the identities of two other passengers, according to the Associated Press. |
| “All the four names are with me and have been given to our intelligence agencies,” Hishammuddin said, according to AP. “We do not want to target only the four; we are investigating the whole passenger manifest. We are looking at all possibilities.” | “All the four names are with me and have been given to our intelligence agencies,” Hishammuddin said, according to AP. “We do not want to target only the four; we are investigating the whole passenger manifest. We are looking at all possibilities.” |
| Later, however, the director of Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation said there were only two men with false passports and that authorities were checking closed-circuit television footage of them. “We have the CCTV recordings of those passengers from check-in right through the departure point,” he said, according to Bloomberg News. “These records of CCTV are now being used for investigation of this matter.” | Later, however, the director of Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation said there were only two men with false passports and that authorities were checking closed-circuit television footage of them. “We have the CCTV recordings of those passengers from check-in right through the departure point,” he said, according to Bloomberg News. “These records of CCTV are now being used for investigation of this matter.” |
| On Sunday, Malaysia said the flight might have turned back from its scheduled route to Beijing before disappearing from radar. | On Sunday, Malaysia said the flight might have turned back from its scheduled route to Beijing before disappearing from radar. |
| “What we have done is actually look into the recording on the radar that we have and we realized there is a possibility the aircraft did make a turnback,” said Rodzali Daud, the Royal Malaysian Air Force chief, at a news conference, according to the Reuters news agency. | “What we have done is actually look into the recording on the radar that we have and we realized there is a possibility the aircraft did make a turnback,” said Rodzali Daud, the Royal Malaysian Air Force chief, at a news conference, according to the Reuters news agency. |
| Malaysia said it had expanded its search to the country’s western coast, the opposite side of the peninsula from the plane’s last sighting. But it nevertheless appeared implausible that a passenger plane could simply disappear from radar screens over the ocean unless it had crashed, experts said. | Malaysia said it had expanded its search to the country’s western coast, the opposite side of the peninsula from the plane’s last sighting. But it nevertheless appeared implausible that a passenger plane could simply disappear from radar screens over the ocean unless it had crashed, experts said. |
| “It can’t vanish from primary radar unless it is a stealth bomber,” said Mikael Robertsson of FlightRadar24, a flight-tracking service. | “It can’t vanish from primary radar unless it is a stealth bomber,” said Mikael Robertsson of FlightRadar24, a flight-tracking service. |
| The airline’s own transponder, which broadcasts the plane’s position and location, went completely dark while the plane was cruising at a steady 35,000 feet, he said. “Everything indicates it must have lost altitude suddenly,” he said. | The airline’s own transponder, which broadcasts the plane’s position and location, went completely dark while the plane was cruising at a steady 35,000 feet, he said. “Everything indicates it must have lost altitude suddenly,” he said. |
| The Vietnamese government said in a statement that two oil slicks spotted off the southern tip of the country were between six and nine miles long and were consistent with what would be left by a crashed jet, according to AP. | The Vietnamese government said in a statement that two oil slicks spotted off the southern tip of the country were between six and nine miles long and were consistent with what would be left by a crashed jet, according to AP. |
| But experts said a mid-air explosion would typically leave debris strewn over a large area, and some kind of catastrophic mechanical failure was also possible. | But experts said a mid-air explosion would typically leave debris strewn over a large area, and some kind of catastrophic mechanical failure was also possible. |
| The plane, which was more than 11 years old, had suffered damage to its wing after a minor collision with another aircraft in 2012 but had been fully repaired. | The plane, which was more than 11 years old, had suffered damage to its wing after a minor collision with another aircraft in 2012 but had been fully repaired. |
| “A portion of the wing tip, approximately a meter, was torn. It has been repaired by Boeing, and we also got the clearance from them,” said Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Johari Yahya, according to local media. | “A portion of the wing tip, approximately a meter, was torn. It has been repaired by Boeing, and we also got the clearance from them,” said Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Johari Yahya, according to local media. |
| The National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday night in Washington that a team of investigators was en route from the United States to Asia to assist with the investigation. | The National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday night in Washington that a team of investigators was en route from the United States to Asia to assist with the investigation. |
| As the search resumed Sunday, the airline posted a notice saying that it was “still unable to detect the whereabouts of the missing aircraft,” a Boeing 777-200. | As the search resumed Sunday, the airline posted a notice saying that it was “still unable to detect the whereabouts of the missing aircraft,” a Boeing 777-200. |
| The airline said it would establish a command center either in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as soon as the location of the aircraft is established. A 94-person caregiver team was providing emotional support for families, the airline said, and an additional team was on its way to Beijing. | The airline said it would establish a command center either in Kota Bharu, Malaysia, or Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as soon as the location of the aircraft is established. A 94-person caregiver team was providing emotional support for families, the airline said, and an additional team was on its way to Beijing. |
| There was no distress signal from the pilots, and crashes usually happen during takeoff or landing, heightening concerns of possible foul play. | There was no distress signal from the pilots, and crashes usually happen during takeoff or landing, heightening concerns of possible foul play. |
| Passport mystery | |
| Luigi Maraldi, 37, from Italy, and Christian Kozel from Austria had initially been listed as among the plane’s passengers, but both men were subsequently found to be safe. | Luigi Maraldi, 37, from Italy, and Christian Kozel from Austria had initially been listed as among the plane’s passengers, but both men were subsequently found to be safe. |
| The men had reported to authorities that their passports were stolen in Thailand within the past two years. | The men had reported to authorities that their passports were stolen in Thailand within the past two years. |
| “We are aware of the stolen passport issue and are carrying out an investigation,” said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation in Malaysia. | “We are aware of the stolen passport issue and are carrying out an investigation,” said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of the Department of Civil Aviation in Malaysia. |
| Flight booking information accessed through the KLM Web site showed Maraldi and Kozel were booked on a flight to Amsterdam, and then on to Copenhagen and Frankfurt, respectively. Their itinerary was separately confirmed by an employee of China Southern Airlines, which was a codeshare partner on the flight and had sold them the tickets. | Flight booking information accessed through the KLM Web site showed Maraldi and Kozel were booked on a flight to Amsterdam, and then on to Copenhagen and Frankfurt, respectively. Their itinerary was separately confirmed by an employee of China Southern Airlines, which was a codeshare partner on the flight and had sold them the tickets. |
| Reuters reported that the people presenting themselves as the two men had booked their tickets together at a travel agency in Pattaya, Thailand. | Reuters reported that the people presenting themselves as the two men had booked their tickets together at a travel agency in Pattaya, Thailand. |
| Thai media reported that Maraldi had lost his passport in Phuket last year, after surrendering it at a motorcycle rental shop, where it was collected by another man. | Thai media reported that Maraldi had lost his passport in Phuket last year, after surrendering it at a motorcycle rental shop, where it was collected by another man. |
| Asked earlier whether terrorism was suspected in the plane’s disappearance, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said authorities were “looking at all possibilities, but it is too early to make any conclusive remarks.” | Asked earlier whether terrorism was suspected in the plane’s disappearance, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said authorities were “looking at all possibilities, but it is too early to make any conclusive remarks.” |
| It was unclear how people with stolen passports could have passed through immigration control checks in Malaysia. The country’s prime minister said airport security procedures were being reviewed. | It was unclear how people with stolen passports could have passed through immigration control checks in Malaysia. The country’s prime minister said airport security procedures were being reviewed. |
| “We will enhance them if necessary, because we still do not know the cause of the incident,” Najib told reporters, according to Reuters. | “We will enhance them if necessary, because we still do not know the cause of the incident,” Najib told reporters, according to Reuters. |
| U.S. officials said Sunday that the cause of the crash remained unclear. | |
| “It is too soon to tell what happened, why it happened,” Deputy National Security Adviser Tony Blinken said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”Reports that two passengers on the flight traveled with stolen passports “raise questions and concerns,” said Blinken. But he added that it’s too early to draw conclusions. | |
| Blinken said the U.S. has dispatched the FBI and other experts to help with the investigation. | |
| Clive Williams, a counterterrorism expert at Australia’s Macquarie University, said it seemed unlikely that terrorists would target a Malaysia Airlines flight. | |
| “The stolen passports may or may not be related, but more likely not,” he wrote in an e-mail. “I think it’s likely that most Asian flights have passengers with stolen passports on board.” | “The stolen passports may or may not be related, but more likely not,” he wrote in an e-mail. “I think it’s likely that most Asian flights have passengers with stolen passports on board.” |
| Data from Interpol show there were 39 million lost or stolen passports as of the end of last year. | Data from Interpol show there were 39 million lost or stolen passports as of the end of last year. |
| Three Americans on fight | |
| The plane carried 239 passengers from 14 countries, including three Americans, according to the manifest posted on the airline’s Web site. They were identified as Philip Wood, 51, an IBM employee working in Malaysia; Nicole Meng, 4; and Yan Zhang, 2. | The plane carried 239 passengers from 14 countries, including three Americans, according to the manifest posted on the airline’s Web site. They were identified as Philip Wood, 51, an IBM employee working in Malaysia; Nicole Meng, 4; and Yan Zhang, 2. |
| In a brief interview, Wood’s mother, Sondra Wood of Keller, Tex., said she had received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia. Her son had just been in Texas visiting, she said, and she knew he would be on the Malaysia Airlines flight. | In a brief interview, Wood’s mother, Sondra Wood of Keller, Tex., said she had received a call from the U.S. Embassy in Malaysia. Her son had just been in Texas visiting, she said, and she knew he would be on the Malaysia Airlines flight. |
| “He was a wonderful person and very intelligent,” she said. “I could talk forever about him. He’s my son, and any mother would be proud of their son.” | “He was a wonderful person and very intelligent,” she said. “I could talk forever about him. He’s my son, and any mother would be proud of their son.” |
| Aside from his work at IBM, she said, her son loved building furniture. “He was very artistic,” she said. Philip Wood has two sons, ages 20 and 24, his mother said. | Aside from his work at IBM, she said, her son loved building furniture. “He was very artistic,” she said. Philip Wood has two sons, ages 20 and 24, his mother said. |
| Austin-based Freescale Semiconductor confirmed Saturday that 20 of its employees were aboard the plane. Twelve are from Malaysia and eight are from China, the firm’s president and chief executive, Gregg Lowe, said in a statement. | Austin-based Freescale Semiconductor confirmed Saturday that 20 of its employees were aboard the plane. Twelve are from Malaysia and eight are from China, the firm’s president and chief executive, Gregg Lowe, said in a statement. |
| “At present, we are solely focused on our employees and their families,” Lowe said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragic event.” | “At present, we are solely focused on our employees and their families,” Lowe said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragic event.” |
| Vessels and planes from Southeast Asia have been scouring the waters near where the oil slicks were spotted, and Razak said “the search-and-rescue operations will continue as long as necessary.” | Vessels and planes from Southeast Asia have been scouring the waters near where the oil slicks were spotted, and Razak said “the search-and-rescue operations will continue as long as necessary.” |
| The Philippines sent planes and vessels to help in the search, and Singapore and China also joined the effort, news agencies reported. Vietnamese fishermen were also put on alert. | The Philippines sent planes and vessels to help in the search, and Singapore and China also joined the effort, news agencies reported. Vietnamese fishermen were also put on alert. |
| U.S. 7th Fleet officials said in a statement that the USS Pinckney, a guided-missile destroyer, and a P-3C Orion aircraft were being sent to aid in the search. | U.S. 7th Fleet officials said in a statement that the USS Pinckney, a guided-missile destroyer, and a P-3C Orion aircraft were being sent to aid in the search. |
| Flight MH370 lost contact with Malaysian air traffic control at 1:20 a.m. Saturday (12:20 p.m. EST Friday), less than an hour after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur, as it was completing its ascent. It vanished on the border of the territorial waters of Malaysia and Vietnam, where the Gulf of Thailand meets the South China Sea. It had been due to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m. Saturday (5:30 p.m. EST Friday). | Flight MH370 lost contact with Malaysian air traffic control at 1:20 a.m. Saturday (12:20 p.m. EST Friday), less than an hour after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur, as it was completing its ascent. It vanished on the border of the territorial waters of Malaysia and Vietnam, where the Gulf of Thailand meets the South China Sea. It had been due to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m. Saturday (5:30 p.m. EST Friday). |
| In Beijing, relatives of those on board were taken to a hotel in the city to wait for news. A 93-person team from the airline arrived Saturday night to look after relatives and has offered to fly them to Malaysia. But the relatives’ grief has been mixed with anger over the lack of information. On Sunday, some loved ones threw water bottles at the airline team when they arrived to share information on the flight. | In Beijing, relatives of those on board were taken to a hotel in the city to wait for news. A 93-person team from the airline arrived Saturday night to look after relatives and has offered to fly them to Malaysia. But the relatives’ grief has been mixed with anger over the lack of information. On Sunday, some loved ones threw water bottles at the airline team when they arrived to share information on the flight. |
| The plane’s sudden disappearance without a call for help brought back memories of an Air France flight that disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on June 1, 2009. | The plane’s sudden disappearance without a call for help brought back memories of an Air France flight that disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on June 1, 2009. |
| While some wreckage and bodies were found in subsequent weeks, it took nearly two years for the main wreckage and the plane’s flight recorders to be recovered. The final report in the Air France crash said that pilots had made an error in responding to technical problems. | While some wreckage and bodies were found in subsequent weeks, it took nearly two years for the main wreckage and the plane’s flight recorders to be recovered. The final report in the Air France crash said that pilots had made an error in responding to technical problems. |
| “We are doing everything in our power to locate the plane. We are doing everything we can to ensure every possible angle has been addressed,” Hussein, Malaysian transport minister, told reporters near the Kuala Lumpur airport, according to Reuters. “We are looking for accurate information from the Malaysian military. They are waiting for information from the Vietnamese side.” | “We are doing everything in our power to locate the plane. We are doing everything we can to ensure every possible angle has been addressed,” Hussein, Malaysian transport minister, told reporters near the Kuala Lumpur airport, according to Reuters. “We are looking for accurate information from the Malaysian military. They are waiting for information from the Vietnamese side.” |
| Barnes reported from Washington. Harlan reported from Seoul. Liu Liu, Gu Jinglu and Xu Jing in Beijing and Karen DeYoung, Ian R. Shapira and Sean Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report. |