The Mysterious Disappearance of Malaysian Flight 370 by Christina Erickson

What happened to Malaysian Flight 370? On March 8, 2014, a plane took off from Kuala International Airport (Sharp). However, it did not make the ETA. It actually never reached its destination in Beijing. The plane and its passengers disappeared in the middle of the flight. Although they searched exclusively for months, they found next to nothing on an alibi for that flight (Karimi). They called off the search in January of 2017 (1). Since the day the plane went missing, several conspiracy theories surfaced: a fire in the cockpit led the captain to turn west and the plane flew until it ran out of fuel, Russian special ops hijacked the plane, or the captain, Zarahie Shah, committed a mass murder-suicide (Golson). This paper will examine the evidence behind each theory and the possibility that the pilot of the plane flew a crazy suicide mission.

  As an experienced Boeing 777 captain, Zarahie Shah knew the Asian air routes proficiently (“Who are…”). He was a 53-year-old veteran pilot, and he had logged 18,000 flight hours (1). To put that into perspective, 18,000 hours is two full years of non-stop flying. He flew the same routes since 1981 (1). March 8, 2014, was just a typical day of work. He had a scheduled flight from Malaysia to Beijing. Unfortunately, something strange happened during that flight, and Zarahie Shah never returned home.

  Zarahie was a kind man and was well known for his compassion and love for his family, who in return, loved him dearly (“Who are…”). He was a father to three children, and when the plane went missing, he lived with his wife and family in an upscale gated community in the city of Kuala Lumpur (1). His sister, Sakinab, has argued that Zarahie, nicknamed Ari by his family, was a generous man with a warm sense of humor (Holmes).  In a note about her brother, Sakinab described Zarahie as a man who had a “passion for life, for family and above all for flying, who married his childhood sweetheart, had two sons, a daughter, and a grandson. I want the world to know here is a loving man who will stop at nothing to render help when it is needed,” she wrote (1). The family also described him as a normal, loving dad who was fun to be around, who loved to joke, to fix things and to cook (Wockner). Family photographs show the pilot and his grandson playing with toys, jumping on a trampoline, blowing bubbles and wearing masks (1).

  Despite the evidence of a normal family life, multiple news reports have said that his family moved out of the house the day before the flight went missing, after his wife told him she was going to leave him (“Who are…”). A fellow pilot and associate of Mr. Zaharie told the New Zealand Herald that he had been "terribly upset" by his relationship troubles (1). Was this the cause of his suspected depression? Is it possible that his broken relationship with his wife led him to commit mass-murder suicide?

  Many people argued that he was a happy and content man (“Who are…”). He was described as a passionate cook, a DIY genius, and a good fisherman (1). His sister talked about his compassion for other people, clearly shown when he took family members on holiday or helped fix up their houses (Holmes). Sakinab wrote, “My home and the homes of my sisters and brothers are not short of the things that remind us of him every day; framed pictures, leaking windows now repaired, a fish pond leveled up and nicely tiled, a new TV installed" (1).

  His close family members believe that he was in no way depressed or suicidal (Holmes). Speaking to the New Straits Times, Zaharie's 26-year-old son, Ahmad Seth, said, “I ignored all of the speculation. I know my father better" (1). His sister said, “Simply put, the suicide story is but another story. My brother loved life, he loved his lifestyle, period” (1). She refused to believe the theory that he deliberately crashed the plane while on a suicide mission. “Until and unless we have evidence, tangible evidence, I maintain his innocence,” Sakinab Shah said in her interview (1). His brother-in-law said, “He was not suicidal. We enjoy our life to the fullest because life only happens once” (1).

  However, his wife, Faizah, told police how her husband became increasingly distracted in the months leading up to the flight (Wockner). “I found him distant and difficult to understand,” she said (1). She explained that he spent his time alone and hardly spoke to his sons (1). He also seemed anxious and agitated (1). Similarly, Aishah, his daughter, said, “He wasn’t the father I knew. He seemed disturbed and lost in a world of his own. He wasn’t his usual self. He was distant and cranky” (1). Does this mean he was in a state of depression during the flight? Were these personality changes the cause of the crash?

  Zarahie Shah was well known for his passion for flying (“Who are…”). He was well-respected by his colleagues and highly professional (1). Younger pilots even regarded him as a coach and a mentor (1). Throughout his many years with Kuala Lumpur International Airport, he held an “unblemished flying record” (Holmes). However, he was still suspected to have caused Flight MH370 to crash.

  Zaharie was under some suspicion when the Australian agency in charge of the search found that the captain’s home-built flight simulator had planned a path to the southern Indian Ocean (“Who are…”). A self-confessed "aviation geek," Zaharie built a flight simulator in his home mirroring the set-up of the Boeing 777-200 he was piloting (1). However, experts in aviation have pointed out that it is not unusual for a pilot to own a simulator (1). Robert Randazzo, the president of flight simulation software developer PMDG, said, "Zarahie was well known to many in the flight simulation community because he had developed an online presence in which he dedicated many hours of his time to promoting the enjoyment of flying generally, and flight simulation specifically." (1). Zaharie often posted tutorial videos for the simulator onto YouTube, addressing topics like: "How to tune aircon to save electricity" (1).  One of Zarahie's loyal friends, Peter Chong, protested that it was not fair to suspect Zarahie in hijacking the plane. He explained that he had used Zarahie's flight simulator himself (1). He said, "It's a reflection of his love for people because he wants to share the joy of flying with his friends" (1). This simulator could be evidence of a suicide mission or just another example of his passionate character.

  When the world looked at the case of the missing plane, many conspiracies arose. Most are entirely improbable, but there are three theories that stick out from the rest. Either Vladimir Putin stole the plane, lithium batteries caused the plane to explode, or Zarahie Shah committed a mass murder-suicide. All three of these seem probable, but the evidence and research can only fit with one theory.

  The first conspiracy theory involves Vladimir Putin. There are several rumors that blame Putin for the disappearance of the Malaysian Flight 370. One accusation is particularly intriguing because it comes from a United States science writer, Jeff Wise (“MH370…”). Jeff Wise is a distinguished writer who covered the missing flight on CNN (Logan). Wise’s theory is that Vladimir Putin hijacked the plane (1). He found what he called “pings” that were emitted from the plane for seven hours after the communications broke down (“MH370…”). The pings were proof that Russian hijackers messed with the plane’s navigation data to make it seem as if the plane flew south when it was actually heading north (1). Wise said the plane most likely landed in the Baikonur Cosmodrome, which is owned by Russia (1). The only problem with this theory is that there is no reason for Vladimir Putin to take a plane with over 200 passengers and land it in a Russian owned spaceport (Logan). Jeff Wise said, “Maybe he wanted to demonstrate to the United States that he could hurt the West and its allies anywhere in the world.” (“MH370…”). Was Vladimir Putin desperate for power and authority? Maybe, but taking a plane and not telling anyone that you took the plane is not a good way to get power and authority. Also, if Putin were trying to gain respect from the United States, he probably would have taken an American plane instead of a Malaysian plane. Therefore, we can conclude that this theory is improbable.

  The second conspiracy theory suggests an accident that has to do with lithium batteries. Clive Irving, an aviation expert for the Daily Beast, bases his argument on warnings distributed by the FAA and Boeing (Engel). The warnings state that there is an “immediate and urgent risk” when flying with lithium-ion batteries (1). The batteries are used in everyday electronics including cell phones and laptops (1). According to FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) officials, there is evidence proving that the batteries were able to cause “explosions and fires capable of destroying a plane” (1). In July of 2015, Boeing gave a warning to the airlines, including United and Delta, to stop transporting the batteries in the cargo, continuing to say that the batteries were a high risk and an “unacceptable fire hazard” (Ironside). According to Clive Irving, the Malaysian Flight 370 was carrying 440 pounds of lithium batteries the day it went missing (Engel). He states that there was a fire in the cargo hold caused by the batteries, and it was too big for the plane’s fire suppression system (1). "The cargo hold has a special liner intended to contain a fire until it is extinguished," Irving explained (1). "A battery fire might well have been intense enough to breach the liner and, in doing so, allow the airflow to weaken the concentration (and therefore the effectiveness) of the Halon gas used as a fire suppressant." (1). However, Jon Cox, the captain of the Safety Operating Systems in Washington D.C., explains that there is no link between the lithium batteries and the Malaysian Flight 370 (Ironside). He said, “...a fire has never lasted seven-plus hours. In every previous case the flight crew was able to, and did, notify Air Traffic Control of the fire.” (1). According to Captain Cox, “Someone who had extensive knowledge of aircraft computer systems was responsible for flying MH370 off course.” (1). This theory seems probable, but it does not provide the perfect solution to the conspiracy as there are still a few missing pieces.

  The last conspiracy is even more tragic than an explosion or a Russian hijacking; this theory suggests Zarahie Shah committed a mass-murder suicide. Multiple news reports have noted that his wife told him she was going to leave him, and the family moved out of the house the day before the flight went missing (“Who are…”). A friend of Shah said that he had been "terribly upset" by his relationship troubles (1). Also, his wife, Faizah, told police how her husband became increasingly distracted in the months leading up to the flight (Wockner). “I found him distant and difficult to understand,” she said (1). According to Faizah, he spent most of his time alone and rarely even spoke to his sons (1). Aishah, his daughter, stated that he had not been acting like himself and that he was disturbed by something which caused him to be distant (1).

  The evidence all points to Zarahie Shah’s planned suicide. In a survey conducted at Bay Area Christian School, 85 percent of students and teachers polled agreed with the theory that Zarahie Shah committed suicide and took 239 passengers down with him.  Although Shah seemed like a normal father and an average worker, there is too much proof that he was disturbed by something around the time the flight went missing. Also, Shah was proficient in aircraft computer systems and navigation systems (“Who are…”). He definitely had the knowledge and ability to change the flight path without notifying the airline (1). The search for the plane was called off on January 17, 2017. Hopefully, new evidence will arise, and the world will know what really happened to Malaysian Flight 370 and its passengers.

  After analyzing what happened to Malaysian Flight 370, three conspiracy theories come to light:

1. Vladimir Putin took the plane.
2. Lithium batteries caused a lethal explosion.
3. Zarahie Shah committed a mass-murder suicide.

The search was called off on January 17, 2017, and what happened to MH370 remains a mystery. However, Zarahie Shah could be the answer everyone is looking for.

Works Cited

Engel, Pamela. “Aviation Expert Presents a New Theory for What Happened to Missing Flight MH370.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 15 Oct. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/exploding-batteries-in-mh370-cargo-hold-2015-10.

Golson, Jordan. “The Most Logical (And Craziest) MH370 Conspiracy Theories.” Wired, Conde Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com/2015/03/logical-craziest-mh370-conspiracy-theories/.

Holmes, Oliver. “MH370 Pilot's Sister: 'My Brother Loved Life'.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 17 Jan. 2017,   www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/17/mh370-pilot-sister-my-brother-loved-life-zaharie-ahmad-shah.

Ironside, Robyn. “MH370: Batteries Were Not Screened.” NewsComAu, 8 Mar. 2015, www.news.com.au/world/mh370-interim-report-released-by-malaysias-department-of-civil-aviation/news-story/a3646a208accdde92ed07cfed6efe340.

Karimi, Faith. “MH370: Here's What's Been Found from Missing Jetliner.” CNN, Cable News Network, 9 Mar. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/03/08/asia/mh370-debris-found/index.html.

Logan, Bryan. “Here's the Most Far-out Part of the Theory That Russia Hijacked Malaysia Airlines MH370.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Mar. 2015, www.businessinsider.com/the-theory-that-russia-hijacked-malaysia-airlines-mh370-to-get-back-at-the-us-2015-3.

“MH370 Conspiracy Theories: The Truth behind One of Aviations Greatest Mysteries.”The Week UK, 11 Sept. 2017, www.theweek.co.uk/mh370/58037/mh370-conspiracy-theories-what-happened-to-the-missing-plane.

Sharp, Tim. “Facts About Malaysian Flight 370: Passengers, Crew & Aircraft.” LiveScience, Purch, 17 Jan. 2017, www.livescience.com/44248-facts-about-flight-370-passengers-crew-aircraft.html.

“Who Are the Pilots of Flight MH370?” BBC News, BBC, 27 Mar. 2014, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26628684.

Wockner, Cindy.“Why MH370 Pilot Is Not to Blame.” NewsComAu, News, 15 June 2014, www.news.com.au/world/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-mh370-pilot-captain-zaharie-ahmad-shah-not-to-blame-for-disappearance-family-insist/news-story/0c113697df7b24b040fe54fb572de1f5.