This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/debris-may-be-from-mssing-malaysia-airlines-flight/2014/03/10/2669f16a-a822-11e3-b61e-8051b8b52d06_story.html?wprss=rss_world
The article has changed 15 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Debris may be from missing Malaysia Airlines flight | Debris may be from missing Malaysia Airlines flight |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| BEIJING — As the search for a vanished Malaysia Airlines passenger jet entered a third day Monday, authorities seemed no closer to unravelling what has become one of the most perplexing aviation disasters in history – or even discovering where the plane might be. | BEIJING — As the search for a vanished Malaysia Airlines passenger jet entered a third day Monday, authorities seemed no closer to unravelling what has become one of the most perplexing aviation disasters in history – or even discovering where the plane might be. |
| In the absence of physical evidence about what happened to Flight MH370, sketchy claims emerged of a possible link to Muslim extremists from China’s Uighur ethnic minority, but were downplayed by the authorities. | In the absence of physical evidence about what happened to Flight MH370, sketchy claims emerged of a possible link to Muslim extremists from China’s Uighur ethnic minority, but were downplayed by the authorities. |
| Late on Sunday afternoon, Vietnamese authorities said one of their aircraft had spotted a rectangular object that could have been an inner door from the missing plane, but it was too dark to be sure. By Monday, ships and planes had returned to the area, but could not locate the object. Meanwhile, sightings of what had resembled a piece of the plane’s tail turned out to be logs, Malaysian authorities said. | Late on Sunday afternoon, Vietnamese authorities said one of their aircraft had spotted a rectangular object that could have been an inner door from the missing plane, but it was too dark to be sure. By Monday, ships and planes had returned to the area, but could not locate the object. Meanwhile, sightings of what had resembled a piece of the plane’s tail turned out to be logs, Malaysian authorities said. |
| Two oil slicks, between six and nine miles long, consistent with fuel left by a downed jetliner, were located on Saturday in the region where the plane vanished, but the lack of debris puzzled experts; samples were being sent for testing to see if the slicks contained jet fuel, and results were expected later on Monday. | Two oil slicks, between six and nine miles long, consistent with fuel left by a downed jetliner, were located on Saturday in the region where the plane vanished, but the lack of debris puzzled experts; samples were being sent for testing to see if the slicks contained jet fuel, and results were expected later on Monday. |
| “This unprecedented missing aircraft mystery -- as you can put it -- it is mystifying,” said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation. | “This unprecedented missing aircraft mystery -- as you can put it -- it is mystifying,” said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation. |
| “To confirm what happened that day on this ill-fated aircraft, we need hard evidence. We need concrete evidence. We need parts of the aircraft for us to analyze, for us to do forensic studies,” he told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur. “We are every hour, every minute, every second, looking at every inch of the sea.” | “To confirm what happened that day on this ill-fated aircraft, we need hard evidence. We need concrete evidence. We need parts of the aircraft for us to analyze, for us to do forensic studies,” he told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur. “We are every hour, every minute, every second, looking at every inch of the sea.” |
| About 40 ships and 34 aircraft from nine countries are combing a vast area of ocean in the Gulf of Thailand and the South Chinas Sea, and the search expanded Sunday into areas well beyond the plane’s intended flight path. | About 40 ships and 34 aircraft from nine countries are combing a vast area of ocean in the Gulf of Thailand and the South Chinas Sea, and the search expanded Sunday into areas well beyond the plane’s intended flight path. |
| Speculation that terrorists could have brought down the plane had been fueled by reports that two men had boarded the plane using stolen passports, but experts said this could easily have been a coincidence. | |
| Azharuddin said five passengers had checked in for the flight but never boarded, and insisted their baggage had been removed before the plane took off. | Azharuddin said five passengers had checked in for the flight but never boarded, and insisted their baggage had been removed before the plane took off. |
| In Taiwan, the head of national intelligence said a telephone call had been received on March 1 suggesting that an extremist Muslim group from China’s ethnic Uighur minority would mount a terrorist attack on Beijing International Airport – but added he did not believe the call was linked to the vanished airliner. | In Taiwan, the head of national intelligence said a telephone call had been received on March 1 suggesting that an extremist Muslim group from China’s ethnic Uighur minority would mount a terrorist attack on Beijing International Airport – but added he did not believe the call was linked to the vanished airliner. |
| Police told local media the caller had rung from the southern Chinese city of Guangdong. He had spoken first in French, claiming to be an anti-terrorism official from that country, and then switched to the southern Chinese dialect of Cantonese. But Tsai De-sheng, the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, told state media he did not believe the warning was “highly correlated” with the vanished airliner. | Police told local media the caller had rung from the southern Chinese city of Guangdong. He had spoken first in French, claiming to be an anti-terrorism official from that country, and then switched to the southern Chinese dialect of Cantonese. But Tsai De-sheng, the head of Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, told state media he did not believe the warning was “highly correlated” with the vanished airliner. |
| Similarly, a Chinese Internet activist and journalist based in New York said he had received an email claiming the plane had been attacked in protests at Chinese “oppression and persecution” of its Uighur minority. The email, sent from an untraceable hushmail account, said the attack was also a personal act of revenge against the Malaysian government, which has “cruelly persecuted me before.” | Similarly, a Chinese Internet activist and journalist based in New York said he had received an email claiming the plane had been attacked in protests at Chinese “oppression and persecution” of its Uighur minority. The email, sent from an untraceable hushmail account, said the attack was also a personal act of revenge against the Malaysian government, which has “cruelly persecuted me before.” |
| Wen Yunchao said he had given the email to U.S. authorities, but had received an avalanche of attacks by email and Twitter for releasing it to the media. | Wen Yunchao said he had given the email to U.S. authorities, but had received an avalanche of attacks by email and Twitter for releasing it to the media. |
| In February, Human Rights Watch criticized Malaysia for repatriating to China six Uighur refugees seeking asylum there, saying it had put the men’s lives in danger; Malaysia also sent back 11 Uighurs in 2011. | In February, Human Rights Watch criticized Malaysia for repatriating to China six Uighur refugees seeking asylum there, saying it had put the men’s lives in danger; Malaysia also sent back 11 Uighurs in 2011. |
| Earlier this month, knife-wielding assailants killed 29 people at a railway station in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, in one of the worst terrorist attacks in the country’s history. The Chinese government said the perpetrators were separatist Uighurs from the western province of Xinjiang. | Earlier this month, knife-wielding assailants killed 29 people at a railway station in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, in one of the worst terrorist attacks in the country’s history. The Chinese government said the perpetrators were separatist Uighurs from the western province of Xinjiang. |
| Nevertheless, to move from knife attacks to international terrorism and downing airliners would be a massive leap for Uighur extremists, who are not thought to have strong links to the global jihadist movement. | Nevertheless, to move from knife attacks to international terrorism and downing airliners would be a massive leap for Uighur extremists, who are not thought to have strong links to the global jihadist movement. |
| On Sunday, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official said there were no indications of terrorism, although nothing had been ruled out. U.S. deputy national security adviser, Tony Blinken, also told CNN that it was too early to say whether foul play was involved. | On Sunday, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official said there were no indications of terrorism, although nothing had been ruled out. U.S. deputy national security adviser, Tony Blinken, also told CNN that it was too early to say whether foul play was involved. |
| Asked about the possibility of a terrorist attack, Azharuddin said: “There is talk of possible hijack. And this is not discounted by us. We are looking at every angle, we are looking at every aspect of what could have happened on this ill-fated aircraft on the morning of Saturday.” | Asked about the possibility of a terrorist attack, Azharuddin said: “There is talk of possible hijack. And this is not discounted by us. We are looking at every angle, we are looking at every aspect of what could have happened on this ill-fated aircraft on the morning of Saturday.” |
| He said investigators from U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board had arrived in Malaysia to assist in the investigation. | He said investigators from U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board had arrived in Malaysia to assist in the investigation. |
| Malaysian authorities said Sunday that the plane may have turned around before disappearing from radar without a distress call. If true, aviation experts said this could offer a clue as to why no debris had yet been found. | Malaysian authorities said Sunday that the plane may have turned around before disappearing from radar without a distress call. If true, aviation experts said this could offer a clue as to why no debris had yet been found. |
| “Was this turn under pilot command, hijacker command, or induced by a structural failure of some kind -- either by an airplane fault or by a bomb?” wrote Scott Hamilton, an aviation expert and founder of Leeham News and Comment, in an email from Seattle. | “Was this turn under pilot command, hijacker command, or induced by a structural failure of some kind -- either by an airplane fault or by a bomb?” wrote Scott Hamilton, an aviation expert and founder of Leeham News and Comment, in an email from Seattle. |
| “If the airplane deviated from its planned flight path (as a turn might indicate), they are looking in the wrong place. Also, the fact that no debris whatsoever has emerged from where they are looking, this certainly suggests to me they are looking in the wrong place, whatever the reason.” | “If the airplane deviated from its planned flight path (as a turn might indicate), they are looking in the wrong place. Also, the fact that no debris whatsoever has emerged from where they are looking, this certainly suggests to me they are looking in the wrong place, whatever the reason.” |
| Stolen passports | Stolen passports |
| Investigators focused Sunday on two men who boarded the plane with stolen passports, one of the only leads made public. Malaysian authorities examined closed-circuit television footage of the men at the airport. | Investigators focused Sunday on two men who boarded the plane with stolen passports, one of the only leads made public. Malaysian authorities examined closed-circuit television footage of the men at the airport. |
| The international police agency Interpol said in a statement that the passports — Austrian and Italian — had been stolen in Thailand within the past two years and were not checked against an Interpol database as the passengers boarded the red-eye from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. | The international police agency Interpol said in a statement that the passports — Austrian and Italian — had been stolen in Thailand within the past two years and were not checked against an Interpol database as the passengers boarded the red-eye from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. |
| “Whilst it is too soon to speculate about any connection between these stolen passports and the missing plane, it is clearly of great concern that any passenger was able to board an international flight using a stolen passport listed in Interpol’s databases,” Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said in a statement. | “Whilst it is too soon to speculate about any connection between these stolen passports and the missing plane, it is clearly of great concern that any passenger was able to board an international flight using a stolen passport listed in Interpol’s databases,” Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said in a statement. |
| Noble expressed frustration that few of Interpol’s 190 member countries “systematically” search the database to determine whether documents being used to board a plane are listed as lost or stolen. | Noble expressed frustration that few of Interpol’s 190 member countries “systematically” search the database to determine whether documents being used to board a plane are listed as lost or stolen. |
| Luigi Maraldi, 37, of Italy and Christian Kozel, 30, of Austria had initially been listed among the plane’s passengers, but both were subsequently found to be safe — and to have had their passports stolen. | Luigi Maraldi, 37, of Italy and Christian Kozel, 30, of Austria had initially been listed among the plane’s passengers, but both were subsequently found to be safe — and to have had their passports stolen. |
| Booking information accessed through the KLM Web site showed that the passengers using the passports had adjacent ticket numbers and that both were booked on a subsequent flight from Beijing to Amsterdam. One, traveling under Maraldi’s name, was to continue to Copenhagen and the other to Frankfurt, Germany. Their itineraries were separately confirmed by an employee of China Southern Airlines, which was a code-share partner on the flights and sold them the tickets. | Booking information accessed through the KLM Web site showed that the passengers using the passports had adjacent ticket numbers and that both were booked on a subsequent flight from Beijing to Amsterdam. One, traveling under Maraldi’s name, was to continue to Copenhagen and the other to Frankfurt, Germany. Their itineraries were separately confirmed by an employee of China Southern Airlines, which was a code-share partner on the flights and sold them the tickets. |
| Nevertheless, Clive Williams, a counterterrorism expert at Australia’s Macquarie University, said it seemed unlikely that terrorists would target a Malaysia Airlines flight. Interpol statistics show that 39 million passports were lost or stolen as of the end of last year. | Nevertheless, Clive Williams, a counterterrorism expert at Australia’s Macquarie University, said it seemed unlikely that terrorists would target a Malaysia Airlines flight. Interpol statistics show that 39 million passports were lost or stolen as of the end of last year. |
| “The stolen passports may or may not be related, but more likely not,” he said by e-mail. “I think it 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 said by e-mail. “I think it likely that most Asian flights have passengers with stolen passports on board.” |
| The incident has been hard to piece together in large part because the airliner’s transponder, which broadcasts the plane’s position and location, went dark while the plane was cruising at a steady 35,000 feet. | The incident has been hard to piece together in large part because the airliner’s transponder, which broadcasts the plane’s position and location, went dark while the plane was cruising at a steady 35,000 feet. |
| The flight lost contact with Malaysian air traffic control at 1:20 a.m. Saturday, less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, after 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. | The flight lost contact with Malaysian air traffic control at 1:20 a.m. Saturday, less than an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, after 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. | It had been due to land in Beijing at 6:30 a.m. Saturday. |
| The fact that the plane was cruising at a steady altitude in decent weather and apparently did not emit a distress signal were possible indications of a sudden catastrophic event. | The fact that the plane was cruising at a steady altitude in decent weather and apparently did not emit a distress signal were possible indications of a sudden catastrophic event. |
| If the plane had broken up on impact with water, search teams probably would have found a fairly concentrated pattern of debris, officials said. But they said an explosion was not the only possible cause: The Boeing 777-200 could have broken up because of mechanical issues. 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. | If the plane had broken up on impact with water, search teams probably would have found a fairly concentrated pattern of debris, officials said. But they said an explosion was not the only possible cause: The Boeing 777-200 could have broken up because of mechanical issues. 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. |
| Meanwhile, Chinese officials scrambled Sunday night to get passports and visas to allow passengers’ families in China to fly to Kuala Lumpur, according to ¬China’s state-controlled Xinhua News Agency. Malaysia Airlines said it would help the families get to Malaysia as they wait to hear news of the plane’s recovery. | Meanwhile, Chinese officials scrambled Sunday night to get passports and visas to allow passengers’ families in China to fly to Kuala Lumpur, according to ¬China’s state-controlled Xinhua News Agency. Malaysia Airlines said it would help the families get to Malaysia as they wait to hear news of the plane’s recovery. |
| According to Xinhua, Beijing police initiated emergency procedures to enable the relatives to get passports — an often lengthy process in China — within one hour. | According to Xinhua, Beijing police initiated emergency procedures to enable the relatives to get passports — an often lengthy process in China — within one hour. |
| Chico Harlan reported from Seoul. Liu Liu, Gu Jinglu and Xu Jing in Beijing and Adam Taylor, Robert Barnes, Karen DeYoung, Ian R. Shapira and Sean Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report. | Chico Harlan reported from Seoul. Liu Liu, Gu Jinglu and Xu Jing in Beijing and Adam Taylor, Robert Barnes, Karen DeYoung, Ian R. Shapira and Sean Sullivan in Washington contributed to this report. |