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| Malaysia disputes report that missing plane flew on for hours | Malaysia disputes report that missing plane flew on for hours |
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| KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian authorities said Thursday they have made little progress in the search for a passenger jet that went missing nearly a week ago over the Gulf of Thailand in a case that has become more difficult by the day. | KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian authorities said Thursday they have made little progress in the search for a passenger jet that went missing nearly a week ago over the Gulf of Thailand in a case that has become more difficult by the day. |
| In a news conference, Malaysia’s defense minister and a Malaysia Airlines chief executive played down or dismissed a series of leads that had led to frenzied speculation about the fate of the plane and its 239 passengers and crew. In what officials here describe as an unprecedented aviation mystery, it remains unknown whether the plane is on land or in water, east of the country or to the west, or even somewhere far beyond. | In a news conference, Malaysia’s defense minister and a Malaysia Airlines chief executive played down or dismissed a series of leads that had led to frenzied speculation about the fate of the plane and its 239 passengers and crew. In what officials here describe as an unprecedented aviation mystery, it remains unknown whether the plane is on land or in water, east of the country or to the west, or even somewhere far beyond. |
| “We have looked at every lead. In many cases, in fact all the cases, we have not found anything positive,” said Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s defense minister and acting transport minister. “Without debris, we can’t feel we are making any progress.” | “We have looked at every lead. In many cases, in fact all the cases, we have not found anything positive,” said Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s defense minister and acting transport minister. “Without debris, we can’t feel we are making any progress.” |
| Though the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has at times appeared chaotic and baffling — a mix of rumors, confusion and red herrings — it felt on Thursday for the first time like the trail had gone cold. | Though the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has at times appeared chaotic and baffling — a mix of rumors, confusion and red herrings — it felt on Thursday for the first time like the trail had gone cold. |
| As the search area continued to widen, the U.S. Navy said Thursday that it was shifting one of its ships involved in the hunt, the destroyer USS Kidd, from the Gulf of Thailand northeast of Malaysia to the Strait of Malacca on the western side of the Malay Peninsula. | |
| The U.S. military also announced that it would add a P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the search on Friday. That plane is described by its manufacturer, Boeing, the world’s most sophisticated “long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.” It will join a Navy P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft already patrolling as part of the massive international operation. | |
| Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. investigators now believe Flight 370 remained in the air four hours after its last confirmed location. That report, quoting two unidentified sources familiar with the U.S. investigation, cited evidence from flight data from the Boeing 777’s engines — information that the report said is automatically transmitted to the ground. | Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. investigators now believe Flight 370 remained in the air four hours after its last confirmed location. That report, quoting two unidentified sources familiar with the U.S. investigation, cited evidence from flight data from the Boeing 777’s engines — information that the report said is automatically transmitted to the ground. |
| But Malaysian authorities categorically denied the report and said engine data were unavailable after the plane disappeared from civilian radar at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. The last transmission from the engines came at 1:07 a.m., Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said — 26 minutes after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur. | But Malaysian authorities categorically denied the report and said engine data were unavailable after the plane disappeared from civilian radar at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday. The last transmission from the engines came at 1:07 a.m., Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said — 26 minutes after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur. |
| During all commercial flights, engines send bursts of data back to the ground at key intervals — during takeoff, for instance, and once reaching cruising altitude. Representatives from both Boeing and engine maker Rolls-Royce have been in Kuala Lumpur working with the airline, and neither received data after 1:07 a.m., Ahmad said. | During all commercial flights, engines send bursts of data back to the ground at key intervals — during takeoff, for instance, and once reaching cruising altitude. Representatives from both Boeing and engine maker Rolls-Royce have been in Kuala Lumpur working with the airline, and neither received data after 1:07 a.m., Ahmad said. |
| Similarly, the New Scientist reported Tuesday that the engines transmitted just two packets of data, one while the plane was on the ground in Kuala Lumpur and one while it was climbing on its way to Beijing. | Similarly, the New Scientist reported Tuesday that the engines transmitted just two packets of data, one while the plane was on the ground in Kuala Lumpur and one while it was climbing on its way to Beijing. |
| “The last transmission was received at 1:07,” Ahmad told reporters. “It said everything is operating normally.” | “The last transmission was received at 1:07,” Ahmad told reporters. “It said everything is operating normally.” |
| Officials at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday they had no information to back up the Journal report that the plane had remained airborne for hours. They spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to comment. | Officials at the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday they had no information to back up the Journal report that the plane had remained airborne for hours. They spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to comment. |
| A Rolls-Royce spokeswoman refused to comment on any aspect of data, saying only, “We continue to monitor the situation and offer Malaysia Airlines our support.” | A Rolls-Royce spokeswoman refused to comment on any aspect of data, saying only, “We continue to monitor the situation and offer Malaysia Airlines our support.” |
| Flight 370 was initially supposed to follow a northern path to Beijing. Search teams from as many as 12 nations have been scouring the waters to the east and west of Malaysia. Earlier Thursday, attention focused on satellite images from a Chinese agency that showed three large objects in the water south of Vietnam. But by midday, Malaysian authorities were dismissing the likelihood that those objects belonged to the plane. | Flight 370 was initially supposed to follow a northern path to Beijing. Search teams from as many as 12 nations have been scouring the waters to the east and west of Malaysia. Earlier Thursday, attention focused on satellite images from a Chinese agency that showed three large objects in the water south of Vietnam. But by midday, Malaysian authorities were dismissing the likelihood that those objects belonged to the plane. |
| Both Malaysian and Vietnamese teams returned Thursday to the coordinates of the large objects but found nothing. | Both Malaysian and Vietnamese teams returned Thursday to the coordinates of the large objects but found nothing. |
| Even as viewed by satellite, the objects didn’t seem to match that of a plane wreck. The largest of the objects was roughly the size of a basketball court, with no smaller debris around. The Chinese Embassy in Malaysia notified the Malaysian government on Thursday, saying the images — released by a relatively unknown Chinese agency — were made public by mistake and did not relate to Flight 370. | Even as viewed by satellite, the objects didn’t seem to match that of a plane wreck. The largest of the objects was roughly the size of a basketball court, with no smaller debris around. The Chinese Embassy in Malaysia notified the Malaysian government on Thursday, saying the images — released by a relatively unknown Chinese agency — were made public by mistake and did not relate to Flight 370. |
| “We are pretty much back at square one,” said Richard Aboulafia, a vice president of analysis at the Teal Group Corporation in Fairfax, Va. | “We are pretty much back at square one,” said Richard Aboulafia, a vice president of analysis at the Teal Group Corporation in Fairfax, Va. |
| Aboulafia said the combination of transponder and communications failure, together with the lack of debris and the possibility the plane turned around, suggested some kind of hostile takeover by passengers or crew. | Aboulafia said the combination of transponder and communications failure, together with the lack of debris and the possibility the plane turned around, suggested some kind of hostile takeover by passengers or crew. |
| Malaysia said it intended to again expand the search field for the missing plane. But it remains unclear whether the search is best focused to the east or west of the Malay Peninsula. The plane vanished over the eastern side, above the Gulf of Thailand, but Malaysia later found a military radar blip suggesting that an unidentified aircraft was tacking west. The radar information has since been handed to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for analysis, a process that is not yet completed. | Malaysia said it intended to again expand the search field for the missing plane. But it remains unclear whether the search is best focused to the east or west of the Malay Peninsula. The plane vanished over the eastern side, above the Gulf of Thailand, but Malaysia later found a military radar blip suggesting that an unidentified aircraft was tacking west. The radar information has since been handed to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for analysis, a process that is not yet completed. |
| Hishammuddin said it remained possible that the plane turned around, diverting to the west after disappearing from radar. But he added that the search was still focused around the location where the plane vanished. Of 46 ships involved in the search, 26 are in the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea, and 17 on the western side, in the Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea. | Hishammuddin said it remained possible that the plane turned around, diverting to the west after disappearing from radar. But he added that the search was still focused around the location where the plane vanished. Of 46 ships involved in the search, 26 are in the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea, and 17 on the western side, in the Strait of Malacca and Andaman Sea. |
| “Our main effort has always been in the South China Sea,” Hishammuddin said. | “Our main effort has always been in the South China Sea,” Hishammuddin said. |
| Malaysia has been criticized for at times releasing partial or contradictory information about the flight and search. The criticism has been most pointed from China, which had 153 citizens on the flight. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday that Beijing had “asked the relevant party to enhance coordination” and find the plane as quickly as possible. | Malaysia has been criticized for at times releasing partial or contradictory information about the flight and search. The criticism has been most pointed from China, which had 153 citizens on the flight. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Thursday that Beijing had “asked the relevant party to enhance coordination” and find the plane as quickly as possible. |
| “First, this situation is unprecedented,” Hishammuddin said, in deflecting the criticism. “MH370 went completely silent while over the open ocean. We are in the middle of a multi-national search involving many countries. This is a crisis situation. It is a very complex operation. And it has not always been easy.” | “First, this situation is unprecedented,” Hishammuddin said, in deflecting the criticism. “MH370 went completely silent while over the open ocean. We are in the middle of a multi-national search involving many countries. This is a crisis situation. It is a very complex operation. And it has not always been easy.” |
| But, he added, “We have not done anything that could jeopardize this search effort.” | But, he added, “We have not done anything that could jeopardize this search effort.” |
| Malaysia Airlines announced separately Thursday that “as a mark of respect to the passengers and crew of MH370” who disappeared on March 8, it will retire the MH370 and MH371 flight codes it has used on its routes to and from Beijing. MH is the designation for Malaysian Airline System, as the carrier is officially named. | Malaysia Airlines announced separately Thursday that “as a mark of respect to the passengers and crew of MH370” who disappeared on March 8, it will retire the MH370 and MH371 flight codes it has used on its routes to and from Beijing. MH is the designation for Malaysian Airline System, as the carrier is officially named. |
| Denyer reported from Beijing. Ashley Halsey III and Ernesto Londoño in Washington and William Wan in Beijing contributed to this report. |