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From extraterrestrial (ET) abduction to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s diabolical intent, many theories have surfaced by both professional analysts and amateur investigators in the digital realm to make sense of the void that seemed to have been trails left behind by official investigators in what is regarded as one of aviation’s biggest mystery––the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Also, the conspiracy bandwagon was joined by former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir who allegedly said that flight MH370 mystery is ‘a CIA conspiracy and that someone is hiding something’.

Emirates Airlines chief, Tim Clark bluntly suggested that Malaysia was not transparent in disclosing information.

A year has passed and thousands of citizens from around the globe were left dumbfounded by the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the aircraft which was carrying 239 passengers including 12 crew members onboard.

Below are some far-fetched and outlandish conspiracy theories that have been highlighted by several international news portals since March 8, 2014.  

Vladimir Putin ordered the plane to be stolen

As wicked as it appears, US-based science writer, Jeff Wish proposed this diabolically -intent  theory claiming the jet was 'stolen' under the instructions of Russian President, Vladimir Putin.

An aviation expert who was also part of CNN's team of analysts, Jeff, wrote in his blog that hijackers, who were probably inside the plane – and were Russians – ‘spoofed’ the plane's navigation data to create an image as though the flight MH370 went in a specific route, though in reality, the plane was rerouted to Baikonur Cosmodrome, a high profile operational space launch facility chartered to Russia by the Kazakh government until 2050.
 

ET abduction?

Let’s just put the blame on the extraterrestrial beings for the inability to comprehend the mysterious disappearance of flight MH370.Some claim that, aliens may definitely have had some crucial role to play in this saga. Bored with the western world, aliens have decided to finally mark their presence in South East Asia.

After going crazy without any convincing answers from the officials, some ‘far-sighted’ individuals jumped into the conclusion that flight MH370 has been abducted by ET.

A report in the National Report suggested, "since 1947, our Government has been lying to us about aliens. Everyone sees them.

“UFOs are everywhere in every nation. They are a threat to our sovereignty as a nation and as a world.”

This was then extensively cited in the social media.  

CIA conspiracy?

"CIA conspiracy and someone is hiding something"- Tun Mahathir

Former Prime Minister, Tun Mahathir also alleged that flight MH370 disappearance is nothing short of a CIA conspiracy. He said the CIA possibly knew the location of flight MH370 and keeping it to themselves.

He said if the plane’s GPS system failed, then Boeing or the US government agency with their capabilities would surely be able to retrieve the whereabouts of the plane.

In one of his blog posts, he suggested that in the event of the flight being hijacked, the command of the plane could have been triggered elsewhere –remotely.

"Clearly, Boeing and certain agencies have the capacity to take over uninterruptible control of commercial airliners of which MH370 B777 is one.

"Someone is hiding something. It is not fair that MAS and Malaysia should take the blame," he said.
 

It is in an ‘Asian Bermuda triangle’

The idea there could be a second Bermuda Triangle seems a popular one on social media.
Its sudden and unexplained disappearance from radar could have several explanations, whether it be a sudden explosion or mid-air disintegration, or even a mechanical failure.

But some theorists believe it simply means the plane has entered another Devil's Triangle.
Boats and planes have been known to disappear in the patch of sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, known as the Bermuda Triangle, including Flight 19 in 1945, when five torpedo bombers mysteriously vanished.

But could there really be another one?

One Twitter user wrote: "So...what is up with this Malaysian airplane thing? Is there an Asian version of the Bermuda Triangle?"

Another added: "Maybe there's such thing as Asian bermuda triangle.
 

The cockpit fire

A theory came from pilot Chris Goodfellow, who suggested a fire in the cockpit led the captain to turn to the west towards Pulau Langkawi, a nearby airstrip. The loss of communication with the cockpit, Goodfellow said, was caused by electrical fire and the need for the crew to focus on flying the plane rather than radioing in a distress call.

He said, the pilots could have passed out or succumbed to smoke inhalation, with the plane flying for endless hours until it ran out of fuel and crashed. It’s a great theory, except for the lack of any solid evidence to support it.
 

MH370 and MH17 were the 'same planes'

Another conspiracy that seemed to have penetrated into the minds of the public is the believe that both MH370 and MH17 are actually the same plane. The MH17 that has crashed in Ukraine after being shot down was in fact the missing flight MH370 and not the flight that was scheduled to Amsterdam from Kuala Lumpur.

Proponents of this theory including humansarefree.com stated that flight MH370 was hijacked and forced to land securely in a hidden location.

Some theories have outlandishly suggested that flight MH370 was flown to military base Diego Garcia ands subsequently crashed near Donetsk in Russia by American agents months after the ‘mysterious disappearance’ in a ‘false flag operation to tarnish the Russians.'

Eventually some of the happenings in the world nicely fell into theorists’ hands as Russia was accused by several countries for backing the Ukrainian separatists among others providing Buk missile launchers capable of shooting down planes at high altitudes.

It was 12.25am in Malaysia on March 8, 2014.

The air traffic control (ATC) personnel at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport were greeted with ‘good morning’ from the voices echoing from the cockpit of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.  The Boeing 777-200ER carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board was prepared for take-off.

While waiting for commands from the ATC, a Frankfurt-bound Malaysia Airlines flight MH6 took off from the KLIA runway.  Everything was going smoothly as scheduled and all passengers were hoping to land in Beijing at 6.30am.

Flight MH370 took approximately 16 minutes after it received instruction to leave the terminal on to the taxiway followed by the departure railway.

“32 Right, cleared for take-off MAS370. Thank you. Bye.” And these were the last words uttered from MH370 cockpit before the plane was elevated from Malaysian soil at 12.41am.

The aircraft, captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53 and his co-pilot, Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27 were on duty working hand-in-hand sharing the cockpit space–– manoeuvring the flight and monitoring the intermittent radio communications.

The flight rocketed to a height of 25,000 feet at 12.46 am and maintained its elevation 15-minutes later at 35,000 feet.

When the clock ticked 1.07 am, the first transmission from ACARS -- a service that allows computers aboard the plane to “communicate” with computers on the ground sent vital information about the mechanical state of the flight at which the flight retained its altitude level.

As the clock struck 1.19am, the ATC instructed MH370 to contact Ho Chi Minh City as the flight was approaching the Malaysian and Vietnamese border: “Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Ho Chi Minh 120 decimal nine. Good night”.

Within five seconds interval, MH370 responded:
“Good night, Malaysian Three Seven Zero”.

At 1:21 am the flight went off the Malaysian airspace and at that time Vietnam should have received communication from the aircraft.

As the clock showed 1.30am, flight MH370 was reported missing.

So what happened?

According to former MAS Hajj and Charter Department assistant general manager Datuk Captain Nik Ahmad Huzlan Nik Hussain the spoken words, ‘good night’ was nothing out of ordinary as it is a usual routine performed by pilots. He spoke to Astro AWANI during an exclusive interview at a flight simulator in Shah Alam, Selangor.

He said that those words were indications to both parties at different ends identify each other.

“The Kuala Lumpur ATC in its radar received the transponder signal identified flight MH370’s plate number, altitude and speed.

At 1:19am, he said, the Kuala Lumpur ATC reminded the flight to check in with the air traffic control in Ho Chi Minh City to notify MH370 was entering its airspace.

“After the ‘good night, either the pilot or co-pilot should have changed the radio frequency and immediately called the Vietnam ATC,” he explained.

Nik Huzlan said the normal procedure would begin with a greeting followed by an introduction of the pilot in command followed by the flight’s altitude level.

If Ho Chi Minch City ATC received a verification of the flight’s and pilot’s identity, MH370 would be given the go-ahead to continue with its scheduled journey.

He said that the, ‘greetings’ take place every time a flight passes airspace border. Strangely, that was not the case on that historic day.

Nik Huzlan added a delay in establishing communication with the ATC of a specified air zone is not something peculiar. Since there were no distress signs detected in communication from the MH370 cockpit a little delay in communicating with the Ho Chi Minh ATC would not be considered unusual. Only after exceeding a few minutes, as in the case of MH370, it would be classified as ‘out of the ordinary’.

The mysterious 90 seconds

“The most crucial moment is during the 90 seconds period from 1.19am to 1.21am. It is during this period that contact with Vietnam should have been established.

One outlandish theory cited the aircraft experienced technical difficulties while the other suggested that there was fire in the cockpit resulting to a ‘red alert’ moment where passengers passed out and died. Another bizarre theory also suggested that the plane was hijacked.

“If these conspiracy theories were proven true and never went up in smoke, why weren’t there any radio calls made from the crew? If there was an emergency, multiple channels were available,” said Nik Huzlan.

Sitting in a simulator, Nik Huzlan showed Awani the radio signal communication activating mode in the cockpit control panel. Be it visible or hidden, the communication channel is on the control column (yoke) button.

“All communication channels are within reach even without the pilot’s watch,” said Nik Huzlan, adding that Captain Zaharie boasts a staggering 35 years of experience under his belt in aviation and that no way he could have deliberately forgotten the location of these buttons.

There have been reports citing that some of the communication channels were manually shut as there was to be a 1.37am ACARS transmission (sent every half an hour) which was not done.

For Nik Huzlan, the loss of the communication channel remains a mystery. Even after taking into account all the possibilities and of passing out due to hypoxia, how could have the flight allegedly made several turns after that?

The Malaysian government backed by Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) along with several investigators unanimously opined that “it was a deliberate act by someone with the expertise in handling the flight and air route.”

“That means, if anyone wanted to make their way to the cockpit it would have to be from the Business Class because Economy Class passengers trying to enter the Business Class would not be permitted.

“It’s very suspicious as the person would have put up a fight,” Nik Huzlan explained, reiterating that any efforts to invade would take time and there would have been many opportunities to trigger the emergency code.

For the uninitiated, the crew members are also given a secret code to be sent among them or the pilots through intercom in case of an emergency threat or even a plane hijack situation.

Normal altitude level

Flight MH370 was flying at the height 35,000 feet which is deemed normal altitude. Flights would fly as high as possible as it would give advantage in saving fuel cost.

That altitude is also to evade clouds. If cloud formations are present at an altitude of 35,000 feet, the flight can raise up to an altitude of 37,000 or 41, 000 for instance,” said Nik Huzlan.

According to him, in a course of flight, the pilot would try to fly as high as possible. In terms of traffic, if there’s another flight at that particular coordinate then, the flight is restricted to that initial elevation.

Can a transponder be switched on and off?

A transponder can indeed be switched on and off manually and that can be done a few times depending on the location–– before an aircraft takes off or during a flight,” said Nik Huzlan.
"A transponder should be turned off when the plane is at the airport. Imagine if dozens of other planes at the same place, later it will be an overload of radar signals, "he said.

Nik Huzlan added, “When an aircraft is airborne, the transponder should not be turned off.”

Possibility of a hijack

According to Nik Huzlan, after the 9/11 tragedy in New York, cockpit doors were built sturdier and additional security features added. The procedure for entering the cockpit involves a security code known only by the flight crew.

He added that the pilot can also monitor the movement outside the cockpit door via a closed circuit television (CCTV). In brief, the entry to the cockpit is not as easy as it used to be.

Is flight MH370 in Antarctica?

A documentary featured by an international publication recently mentioned about a new theory that flight MH370 was headed to Antarctica. Nik Huzlan however, did not completely deny the statement.

"Based on the straight-line path and satellite data of course it was pointing to the South Indian Ocean and to Antarctica. It’s like we want to drive a car to Changlun in Kedah, but with a certain amount of fuel it can only get you to Tapah.

"Assuming (the documentary) is only to bring up sensation, it doesn’t sound deceiving and it is not wrong, but the flight (ending in Antarctica) is not correct, "said Nik Huzlan.

Refuting the Diego Garcia theory

Possibilities of flight MH370 being hidden in the island of Diego Garcia where a military base operated by alleged world superpowers has been one of the most popular theories among conspirators.

However, Nik Huzlan said the mystery surrounding Diego Garcia surfaced for the first time by the public relating to matters of intelligence. The aviation community in the world of aviation, it is a very common location.

“In mid-2000, two MAS aircrafts flew there (Diego Garcia) to repatriate United States’ military members. I personally coordinated those flights, “he said.

Let’s not over analyse

According to Nik Huzlan a multitude of new theories would surface considering the crucial moment of the ill-fated flight has not been accurately explained.

His advice: it is important for everyone to make sound judgement based on logic and not over analyse especially on any subject and expertise that is deemed alien.

He voiced his readiness to face any quarters, to discuss unfounded theories on the disappearance of flight MH370.

Almost a year has passed since Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 mysteriously disappeared, yet, not a single clue has emerged to finding the aircraft. The search has, in fact, gotten more difficult by day.

This is despite the latest and most advanced technologies that are available in the world today.

Geoscience Australia's Environmental Geoscience Division chief, Dr Stuart Minchin, said the search for MH370 is currently using the most technologically-advanced multibeam sonar system for the depths in the search area.

"Multibeam sonar systems use different frequencies for different water depths. For example, higher frequencies (>100 kilohertz/kHz) are used for shallow water and low frequencies (<30 kHz) are used for deep water.

"Water depths of up to 6km in the MH370 search area makes detailed mapping of the sea floor a challenge, even with the newest technologies.

"The sea floor in the search area has been found to be highly complex with massive undersea remnant volcanoes, canyons and seamounts," Minchin told Astro AWANI recently.

He said some finer-scale seabed features that were previously unknown and unmapped have been discovered in the process.

"For example, ridges that are 6km-wide and 15km-long which stand 1.5km above the previously known seabed, and remnant volcanoes that are 14km in diameter and 2.2km-tall.

"Volcanic mounds of 1.5km in diameter and 400m-tall as well as large depressions or pockmarks (were also) found in the sea floor (up to 800m deeper than the surrounding sea floor)," he said.

He said water depths in the search area vary from 630m in the shallowest parts and plunge to more than 6,000m in the deepest areas.

"The bathymetry data collected in the search area has shown a difference in some locations of 1,400m in depth, compared to how deep it was previously understood to be," Minchin added.

Geoscience Australia, which is providing ongoing expert advice to the search team, led by the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), released a video titled Mapping the deep ocean: Geoscience Australia and the search for MH370, recently.

The 5:45-minute video describes in detail the processes of bathymetric mapping and side scan sonar used to gather data.
 

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 victims' families converged on The Square at Publika, Sunday in remembrance of the people on board the ill-fated aircraft which disappeared last March.

It was heartwrenching to see families and relatives at the event billed, 'MH370 Day of Remembrance' an initiative by the MH370 Family Support Group, 'Voice370'.

One pertinent message reverberated throughout the day: a compelling need to seek the truth to enable appropriate remedial action on aviation safety.

The crowd, made up of people from all walks of life, came with one mission: to show their support for the bereaved families who are gradually coming to terms or drawing the curtains on their year-long grief.

Local celebrities also lent their undivided support with performances by Brendan DeCruz & the Band and Juwita Suwito and a video show of messages from flight MH370 families and friends in hope for the return of their loved ones as well as as for the government to continue searching for the lost aircraft.

It was heart-wrenching to witness Grace Nathan, whose mother Anne Daisy was one of the passenger on board flight MH370, in a poignant tribute to her mother, said: "Ma, I would give everything in my life to have you back."

The three-hour event which was attended by about 200 people attracted curious onlookers who stopped to watch a 'live' crossover with families in India and France via Skype.

K.S Narendran, who is Chandrika Sharma's husband, in a Skype session from Chennai reminded victims' family members that a closure is still far from reality.

"It's a tough and difficult day for us and let me remind everybody that we have an unfinished business with respect to the search of flight MH370," said Narendran.

Flight MH370 vanished at night over the South China Sea after turning away from its north-bound route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The search of the south corridor of Indian Ocean crash zone is expected to end in May.

But while both Malaysia and Australia say they are committed to finding the plane, neither has given a clear indication what will happen after May.

VIEW MORE PHOTOS: MH370 DAY OF REMEMBRANCE AT PUBLIKA, KUALA LUMPUR

Facing the reality that your loved ones are missing and having to imagine life without them is much too painful to bear.

Not seeing them for a day or two is one thing, but having to go through a whole year without feeling their presence is just excruciating.

The emotional strength, the heavy burden that had to be borne by Nur Laila Ngah, 41, the wife of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370’s senior flight attendant, Wan Swaid Wan Ismail, 42, since that fateful March 8 a year ago, had been just too overwhelming.

For Farah Fazulah Abdullah, niece to Wan Swaid and Nur Laila, she said her aunt had been so strong in facing the tragedy.

“It was heartbreaking, after the government declared the loss of flight MH370. At that time, the whole family knew that we had to render whatever support we could to Aunty Laila.

“The last Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration was the toughest. Aunty Laila had asked, "if it’s true that Uncle was no longer around, where are we supposed to visit his grave?” Farah told Astro AWANI, recently.

She said her aunt is gradually building a strong front, raising the couple’s three young children aged 13, 11 and nine.

“I can only imagine how she must be missing her husband dearly. It shows even more on special days... on birthdays, or when one of their children sat for the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) last year.”

Farah said, Nur Laila’s emotions were also evident when she passes by some places where memories were shared with her husband.

“For example, when we walked, she would point out, ‘that’s Uncle’s favourite restaurant’. She would never forget the dish Uncle always ordered when dining there.

“If at home, Aunty Laila would take out Uncle’s uniform. She’d also tell stories about him watching the news on TV while the children watch cartoons.

“Uncle’s presence is still strongly felt. Uncle was the love of Aunty Laila’s life,” said Farah.
 

Wishing to dream

Despite Wan Swaid being so much a part of Nur Laila’s life, his wife knew that she had to continue living, for the sake of their children.

“It wasn’t easy -- the lack of information really didn’t help. At this point, Aunty says, even if she could see Uncle in her dreams, she would be happy,” said Farah.

She said she was amazed by the strength shown by Wan Swaid’s children in facing the adversity.

“At first, they thought their daddy was just ‘flying’ but later they realised what had happened.

“There were many instances where they cried thinking about their father, but they are undoubtedly strong.”

Farah said, even though there are still tons of questions unanswered in the MH370 mystery, hope still lies in the heart of each of their family members.

“We don’t know what to call Uncle now. If we call him ‘arwah’, is that really true?”

“Everyone is pretty much done crying, we’re out of tears. Right now, we are just continuing to wait for answers.”

Wan Swaid’s legacy

As for Wan Swaid’s nephew, Wan Imran Wan Abdul Rahman, he said he was very close to his uncle since young.

“He was very ‘cool’. I learned a lot from him, he had a lot of influence in my life.

“Uncle never got angry. The way he handled people and situations were truly remarkable,” he told Astro AWANI.

Wan Imran said, his uncle’s legacy of never missing a family function will be treasured forever.

“What remains, is his legacy that will be continued. Uncle was always beside his family. He never missed a function despite his busy schedules, he was always the first to arrive … he had a good relationship with everyone in the family.

“Wherever he is now, we hope he is at peace. There’s nothing else we can do but pray and hope that he will one day return. The family’s prayers are the source of our strength right now,” he said.

When asked about the one word that Wan Swaid always said, Wan Imran replied: “Guano (‘how are you’ in Kelantanese dialect) that would be the first thing he utters each time we meet. I’ll never forget that.”

Hailing from Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Wan Swaid is the youngest of 10 siblings and had served MAS since 1995.

Philip Wood was one of three Americans who were on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
An enthusiastic traveller, the 50-year-old IBM executive had been transferred to Malaysia from Beijing, China, with his partner, Sarah Bajc. The trip to Beijing on March 8 last year was his last planned trip before settling down in Kuala Lumpur.

A year on, Bajc, who teaches economics and business in one of the international schools here, said she is slowly coming to terms with the ambiguity of this whole ordeal.

Speaking to Astro AWANI, the 49-year-old said she was shocked at first when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that the Boeing-777 jet shockingly made its stop in the Indian Ocean. The shock soon turned into anger, caused by the uncertainty of the actual scenario.

The pain of losing somebody important in her life has been further aggravated by the chaos, conspiracy theories, the media and the seemingly lack of information from Malaysian officials.

"I continued to work full time, I still have three kids to raise, and I have a great family as well as friends who are extremely supportive. But on an emotional level, it's really hard to move on because we have no answers," says Bajc.

She said she expected the Declaration of Loss (D.O.L.) by the Malaysian government, but it surprised her more that it was made that soon – on January 29 – barely a year since the plane disappeared.

"To me, the announcement seems suspiciously convenient – it's like a 'wishful statement' on their part," she said.

Bajc says, for her and her family, everyday is a sad day. Not a single day has gone by that she hasn’t thought of Wood.

She says this March 8 will be particularly difficult for her and that all she wants to do is to spend time alone and reflect on the good times she had with her partner.

"I am committed to finding the truth, I will stay another year. I will stay here as long as I need to find a resolution," she says.

“You can say what you want, you can pay me millions of ringgit in compensation, you can announce whatever you like or speculate on anything, I know my Amri is still around.”
Normah Jaafar’s voice breaks as she says this, but she is steadfast in her belief that her son, Mohd Khairul Amri Selamat, 30, is not lost.

“Let people say that he’s no longer there. For me Amri is still around, I know he is. Why are people saying that he’s gone?” she asks.

“I’ve heard people saying so many things, that the plane is not missing, that it is being hidden, but all these are empty talk, there is no proof of anything,” the 57-year-old tells Astro AWANI.

There has been much speculation surrounding the missing Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370, one of the more recent ones being a conspiracy involving Russia, and that the plane has been taken to Antarctica.

On January 29 this year, the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) had declared Flight MH370 as an “accident” and that all passengers and crew members are presumed dead.

Just days before the anniversary of the MH370 disappearance, MAS in a statement expressed hope that the search mission could solve the mystery surrounding the missing aircraft and find the much-awaited answers.

Said Normah, her health began to shake a little after the DCA’s latest announcement about the flight.

“I contracted a fever and have yet to fully recover ever since. I don’t feel well, am still in shock and I’m missing my son tremendously,” she said, sobbing furiously.

Meanwhile, another next-of kin who wished to remain anonymous, described the various speculations are “rubbish”.

“The speculations are never ending. It’s all rubbish. I’m tired of all this nonsense, I’m tired of commenting. I’m just tired,” he said.

Another MH370 passenger relative, who also declined to reveal his identity, is calling for all Malaysians to continue to pray for everyone on board the ill-fated flight.

“Hopefully the search mission will find closure. I hope the truth will be discovered, insha'Allah (God willing),” he said.

The Boeing-777 aircraft was ferrying 239 passengers including 12 crew members from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, China when it went off radars on March 8 last year.

"When I see him, I want to kick his butt," said Asan Ahmad, jokingly.

However, the sadness in his eyes when he said this was unmistakable. Asan was relating what he would do to his cousin should the latter come back -- if he returns at all.

Asan and Andrew Nari -- the 49-year-old chief steward of the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 that disappeared without a trace -- are cousins.

The boys grew up together, raised by their grandmother in Sarawak. They did almost anything and everything together from when they were kids up to their teens.

They only went their separate ways when they began their career paths. Andrew became a flight steward while Asan pursued journalism.

Despite their tight schedules, the boys made it a point to meet up at least once a month. Asan last met Andrew in 2013 when one of their aunts passed away. They managed to spend a week together before they both had to return to work.

A week before Andrew was designated to fly on the Beijing-bound MH370, he called Asan and said he wanted to see him after he returns.

According to Asan, Andrew always flew to Europe, so it was unusual when his cousin told him that he would be flying to Beijing instead.

"There was something he wanted to discuss, he said. This saddens me the most because now, I will never know what he wanted to tell me, or if ever I get to see him again," he told Astro AWANI, recently.

Asan said when he learned of the news about MH370 on that fateful March 8, it was already later in the day. Instantly, he went to his cousin's house to be with Andrew's wife, Melani Antonio, and mother, Catherine Tamoh. That day, Andrew's house was filled with family members and close friends, he said.

The Naris household are normally a boisterous crowd. But on that day, it was the silence that was deafening. Everyone was speechless, only sobs were heard once in a while when the ladies couldn't fight back tears.

Asan said all they need right now is some legit updates, even better, proof. Proof that the plane crashed or lives have actually been lost, or proof that it was an accident. Any proof all that could make the Jan 29 declaration by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) legit and digestible by the next-of-kin.  

Little comfort

A year on, the search continues.

On March 1, Australia had announced it was conducting trials with Malaysia and Indonesia on a system that increases the tracking of aircraft over remote oceans, allowing authorities to quickly react to abnormal situations.

Although the system was a "world first", it was "not a silver bullet", only helping to improve current methods of tracking ahead of other solutions being developed.

For MH370 families and friends, whatever effort now brings nothing but little comfort.

Many are still reeling from the shock of the DCA declaring MH370 an "accident" and all passengers on board had been "presumed dead", including 27-year-old Grace Subathirai. She had lost her mother on the flight, Anne Daisy, 56.

"It (the announcement) came from nowhere. They had barely established the plane had veered towards a particular direction and suddenly, they made this bizarre announcement," said Grace, whose father, V.P.R. Nathan, 58, was a DCA man himself, working in the air traffic management section.

Anne Daisy frequently travelled to be with her Beijing-based husband. On March 8, Grace was in England when she received a call at her university. Naturally, she thought it was her mother, calling to tell she had arrived safely in Beijing. But instead, it was her father on the other line, asking her to take the first flight home.  

“It was the longest, most excruciating 15 hours of my life" - she told Astro Awani

Grace and Nathan went to the airport and the hotel where MH370 families gathered. They were there for just five minutes before deciding to wait at home; the situation was too chaotic. The Internet published a lot more information than the officials.

And their endless wait, ended when the announcement was eventually made. Or so they thought. Grace, her father and her sister, Azelia Shalini, 22, were disappointed.

"It's just the way they did the announcement... I don’t know, maybe they could've delivered the message in a more respectful way? Maybe?" Grace asked.

Looking back, the law student remembers her mother as the most dedicated woman who has made every imaginable sacrifice for the family.

Although Anne Daisy has left home for a year now, Grace, her sister and father never considered her as gone. For the family, Anne Daisy is away on a long vacation and will be back in due time.

"I have never once felt that she's gone forever. We live our lives as if she's coming back. We've not moved any of her things – for us, nothing has changed," said Grace.

Prahlad Shirsath vividly remembers this day last year. He was in North Korea and his wife Kranti was living with their sons in Pune, India. She spoke to him from India and told him she was ready to travel alone to meet him.

She spoke about their sons and described flowers growing in their backyard too. Then, she left to travel thousands of kilometres to meet and spend time with her husband.

A year later, Prahlad is still hoping to be reunited with his wife Kranti. And, this time he has made the journey back to India.

"I was slated to leave North Korea and come back to Pune so Kranti decided to come to spend a few days there before I came back," Prahlad reminisced. He even spoke to her just as she got on board the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight. It was midnight in Korea and she asked him to sleep well.

Next morning when Prahlad woke up, he thought the plane was delayed. Only later did the news break that MH370 was missing. He collapsed hearing it.

"I remember calling the embassy and several friends. Since there was no flight to Beijing from North Korea that day, I travelled by road. In Beijing, a few friends were waiting for me. Malaysia Airlines did everything to make me and other relatives of passengers comfortable but it meant nothing to us," he said.

After getting no concrete response in Beijing, Prahlad travelled to Kuala Lumpur. "Even in KL I got no answers, so I decided to come back to India to be with my children," he said.

A year later, he said he knows exactly the same information that was given to him in the first few days. "How can a whole Boeing disappear with no trace? There has to be an explanation."

For Prahlad, life has moved in fast motion. He has now moved back to India to be with his sons and stays home looking after them.

"I am surviving on my savings. I cook, clean and do most of the house work. Hopefully soon I will be able to go out and work. I still pray for my wife. I ask God for answers. But I don't beg him. I am hopeful."

As MH370's disappearance completes one year, Prahlad wants the truth no matter how hard it is.

"We want the truth, but we want evidence for it. Not just the family, the entire world needs to know what happened to that flight. The safety of millions of people is at stake here."

A similar underwater locator beacon battery (ULB) unit was installed with the Solid State Cockpit Voice Recorder (SSCVR) providing sufficient energy for the beacon to transmit for 30 days after it was activated.

Malaysia Airlines in a statement said, the ULB was still running on the day the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing on March 8, 2014.

The statement was issued in response to an interim report released on the investigation into the year-long disappearance.

READ THE INTERIM STATEMENT HERE

MAS also clarified that the consignment of Motorola Lithium-ion batteries was physically inspected by MASKargo personnel in Penang and customs inspectors, prior to being sealed before the item left the Penang Cargo Complex.

The beacon is designed to transmit signal if a crash occurs in water.

The company also confirmed that the inspection procedures performed on the item are in line with those defined by ICAO.

The Engineering Maintenance System was not updated correctly when the ULB battery was first installed. This was a maintenance scheduling oversight, said MAS.

"The CVR is installed side by side with the Solid State Flight Data Recorder (SSFDR) at the E7 Avionic rack ... the SSCVR battery would have been transmitting for 30 days upon activation when immersed in water," the statement added.

The national airliner also said that it had always supported and cooperated fully with the investigation from the beginning, across several lines of enquiry, and will continue to do so.

MAS also said the company has taken significant steps to improve safety in response to the loss of flight MH370 and that the airline has consistently adhered to the standards required by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) programme.

Yesterday, an interim safety-investigation report from ICAO stated that the battery on one of MAS flight MH370's data recorder beacons may have expired more than a year before the plane went missing, reported CNBC.

The report said that the SSFDR ULB battery expired in December 2012 and that there is no evidence to suggest that the SSFDR ULB battery had been replaced before the expiry date.

It also said that it is not guaranteed that the device will work or that it would meet the 30-day minimum requirement, despite it will operate past the expiry date.

IT has been one year since the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a catastrophe that has created tidal-wave ripples of fears among many citizens around the globe.

Today, thousands of people honour the family members and friends of the 239 people onboard the ill-fated Beijing-bound flight on March 8, 2014.

Astro AWANI’s journalist, Izza Izelan managed to speak to New York visual historian, Michael Raisch, who has observed not just this colossal aviation tragedy, but also a devastation closer to home – the 9/11.  

Izza Izelan: Today (March 8) marks a year since the tragedy of MH370 happened. How did you feel when you first found out about this incident?

Michael Raisch: A year ago, it was through Twitter that I heard of the breaking news. The tweet phrasing had an unusual tone to it from the start. The report didn't confirm the aircraft was down, it was only reported as 'lost communication' with it. I do also recall a number of follow-up rumours, even ones that suggested the aircraft landed somewhere in Vietnam.  As breaking stories go, I also briefly looked at the emerging Wikipedia article for the Flight. I wanted to get a complete unbiased understanding of the situation. It was there I first noted the tail number 9M-MRO.

Izza: One year on, the plane is still missing – what goes through your mind and how do you feel right now, being a visual historian observing the incident from a third-person point-of-view?

MR: The thoughts I am having continue to bring me back to the way my nation reflected on September 11th within the first year of that event. One aspect of that event was the way the United States united as one nation in our time of collective public mourning and patriotism. New York City marked the 6 months since the 9/11 attacks with the public unveiling of the 'Tribute in Light'. I had cut my college classes to attend this ceremony in Lower Manhattan. Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani attended the event. I managed to work a spot within the international press. They had lit up these twin blue soaring beams of light. It was amazing in its presentation and boldness. Stretching upwards into the sky, it was the first time since the attacks that it had people glazing upwards, almost as if to glaze back at the Towers.

I get the sense from what you shared with me last year during our first interview that this event is felt deeply across Malaysia. As much as it can, in a national sense of mourning, I believe our shared acts of reflection and remembrance in challenging times unites us in powerful ways.

'The Tribute in Light, I' photographed six months after the 9/11 attacks in March of 2002. - Photo courtesy of Raisch Studios

Izza: You have conducted a tribute for the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 with pilots and plane-spotters around the globe. How did it come about?

MR: As a month had passed in the MH370 timeline, the story continued to stay in the news in the US. At some point I had revisited the Wikipedia page for the Flight and again took note of the tail number. I've had brief background in flight training in my 20s. I certainly knew the uniqueness of any tail number, using this information I was amazed to see the high amount of images online capturing this aircraft's decade of service. It was an overwhelming moment to review so many images of the Malaysian airliner on beautiful days flying throughout the world. There was also something about seeing this particular plane in its full glory; glimpses of days past. Upon seeing this documentation, I then wanted to follow-up with the photographers. It was through their work that we could see this airliner again, the one that the world was so desperate to find again. The areas of the web I focused on involved three sites: Flickr, Airliners.net and Planespotters.net.

'Remembering MH370' graphic for the Photo Tribute done by Michael Raisch, in collaboration with plane-spotters around the globe.

Izza: What inspired you to get in touch with the plane-spotters and put together such tribute?

MR: We go back to the World Trade Center. Coming out of 2013, I was wrapping up production on my long-term time-lapse of the rise of the One World Trade Center as photographed from across the river in Jersey City. From this long-term commitment of photography, I could relate to plane-spotters in their dedication of photographing and capturing hundreds of airliners. From this common understanding, I had a feeling that the guys that were able to photograph this now missing Malaysian airliner would have more to share beyond their image. The question then unfolded: “You captured this airliner that no one else ever will again. How does this affect you?" As a fellow photographer, I know that we all connect with the work and passion we pursue as image makers. I turned out to be right. Many of the photographers felt a real connection to the lost airliner, even in the brief moments they had photographing it. Those are the stories I published along with their images to create the tribute.

The 10 Year Anniversary since 9/11, "Remember to Love" marked by the small 1770's era chapel in Lower Manhattan. - Photo courtesy Raisch Studio

Izza: What is the one important lesson from the plane-spotters through working together with them for this tribute?

MR: The plane-spotting community has shown me the incredibly far reaches and international interest in aviation. Since the publishing of the photo tribute I've broadened my network on social media of aviation contacts. Their view of the world is always interesting and ever-changing. You can really see how travel unites the globe. I also admire their dedication towards their craft to get the best shot of international airliners. It's a universal love of aviation that translates over languages and borders. It's an amazing passion to share.

Izza: Finally, what are your hopes in light of this misfortune, and what would you say to the families and friends of the victims?

MR: Based on the response I received for the Photo Tribute, I got a real sense of a shared international grief that came from reach of the MH370 story. I would want them to know the world shared in their pain and loss. For the families, the unresolved aspect of this event must be incredibly hard to bear. For that I hope for closure and healing. I hope one day there can be a physical memorial to offer a place of reflection and remembrance for the families.

Note: Michael Raisch and Izza Izelan has also collaborated in a tribute video of another aviation tragedy involving Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 that has gotten more than 20,000 views. You can view it here.

Despite the two tragedies that struck home, Malaysia Airlines (MAS) chief executive officer, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya is beaming with pride for the commitment shown by 20,000 Malaysia Airlines staff. 

In an exclusive interview to Astro AWANI, he says that in spite of two of the national carrier’s planes -- MH370 and MH17 – meeting with tragedies last year in March and July respectively, employees remained steadfast and came together working way beyond the call of duty.

Excerpts from Ahmad Jauhari's exclusive interview with Astro AWANI:

Astro AWANI (AA): MH370 ... a year has passed and there is no clue of any evidence discovered, so far. Will the search continue for another year?

Ahmad Jauhari (AJ): We hope the government will carry on this search until the aircraft is found.

AA: The time frame … a year, two years or three years...  are we prepared to go the whole distance?

AJ: There will be experts and we will be guided and advised by them. I do hope that we will carry on until we find the answers.

AA: The perseverance to continue with the search, is the sentiment shared by the entire organisation?

AJ: I think not only MAS, but the family members, and the world needs answers.

AA: With your engagement with the next-of-kin from China, what are some of the recurring questions that has them dissatisfied ?

AJ: They’d ask “… why can’t we find the plane?” I think that’s a question we would also like to seek the answer for. We cannot give them any answer. It is very difficult since we cannot give an answer.

AA: Did you ever foresee a calamity as such would occur?

AJ: I think if you ask any airline CEOs what is their worst nightmare, it’s actually losing an aircraft with people on board. In my experience, we lost not just one but two in the span of four months.

AA: How has the tragedy affected the organisation?

AJ: Obviously any accidents would affect an airline. It has affected MAS but we have to recover first from this. We have 20,000 very dedicated people who have remained steadfast to face adversity. They are performing their duties and some even go beyond their job scopes.

AA: How has this tragedy shaped and changed you, from a professional and personal level? Let’s start with at a professional level.

AJ: From a professional level, it’s an incident that has galvanised the employees of Malaysia Airlines. We’ve seen people performing well beyond their duty. I’ve seen talents in handling crisis, the amount of compassion that came out from the staff to aid the family members. Internally, we have a great set of people.

AA: Can you cite an example of the staff going above and beyond their normal routines?

AJ: Caregiving – we would normally sit down with family members. It is not easy. We have to help, listen to them and take care of their problems. We have close to 300 staff involved in the caregiving of the MH370 passengers and crew.

AA: On a personal level, how has this tragedy affected you?

AJ: We have lost many lives. In a way, we begin to understand that we are all very fragile. The unexpected can happen. We must be prepared for it. When the challenge is ahead, we have to face it.

AA: Where do you go from here, after the takeover by ‘MAS NewCo’ later this year?

AJ: I just want to take a break.

AA: Would you still be involved in the corporate world?

AJ: Whatever it is ... I would consider whatever options available after my break.

Exactly a year after Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 mysteriously disappeared, Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) director-general, Datuk Azharuddin Abdul Rahman shares his experience of managing what has come to be known as 'aviation history’s biggest' mystery. 

AA: A year has passed and what happened to flight MH370 shocked the world over. And we really understand what happened was a big challenge for DCA. It has been 365 days so far, how has the DCA dealt with this problem?

Azharuddin Abdul Rahman: We must understand that the MH370 incident is something that has never happened before. And we want to know what has happened. In fact, the world wanted to know what has happened. That is why the government is committed to finding the plane, the wreckage so that we get the plane's black box. With the black box, we will be able to find out what really happened to the plane.

AA: From the data obtained, it is believed that the plane was headed towards the Indian Ocean. We are aware that Boeing is a sophisticated aircraft. However, at the same time, questions are being asked regarding human negligence perhaps involving the pilots or any other parties. How do we restore people’s trust in correcting what happened, especially when it involves human factors?

AAR: I think when you say negligence; it is not right at this moment. We do not know what really happened. So I hope the speculations that are already out there can be reduced or eliminated altogether. Because we know from the analysis made by experts who have analysed the raw data, or data that has not been processed – and they are not from a single country but are various countries such as Australia, United Kingdom, United States, Malaysia and China – and they determine that the plane ended in the Indian Ocean.

AA: Looking at what’s lacking, what are some improvements that DCA needs to make?

AAR: What is the most significant right now -- and not just for DCA alone, but the entire civil aviation industry – is for the establishment of the global real time tracking.

AA: And it should be done as quickly as possible?

AAR: Yes, as soon as possible. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has established a special committee and they have given a period of time before August 31, to establish a method for all aircrafts to comply with real time tracking system.

AA: What can one learn from DCA’s role in providing information, particularly in the future?

AAR: After the missing of flight MH370, and as a responsible agency, we have reflected on what we’ve done. And what we know has been shared with MH370’s independent investigative body. We fully cooperate with the agency. It is up to that agency to release those reports.

AA: And this information is for family members, media and so on?

AAR: I am made to understand that is the case.

AA: There is also a question about the safety of the flight itself. Is there a gap in our security system? Or what needs to be done to ensure such incident does not happen again?

AAR: As stated in the aftermath of MH370, international bodies have also identified this real time tracking system. And I am confident that these bodies would provide a transparent investigation so that we know what happened. But all must understand that the investigation is still ongoing.  As long as we are unable to find the wreckage, and as long as we cannot analyze the black box, the investigation is still ongoing.

AA: In terms of the data obtained in these 365 days we rely on the data from Inmarsat? What is the future plan in terms of the search for flight MH370? Are there other methods apart from relying on Inmarsat's data?

AAR: We must understand that every event is different. The reason it happened should be analysed.  We should understand that the MH370 incident has never happened and we’ve lost that plane. And we only have the data from Inmarsat and it is a communication satellite, and not a detector satellite. The data has been analysed and found a ‘handshake’. From there they use a method that has not been used to search for the missing plane and locate where the flight ended.

AA: If there are those willing to come forward to help and give their own creativity, how does DCA see it?

AAR: We are open. The raw data is on DCA’s website, it is on a special web page dedicated to MH370. As far as I know, since we released the information, no agency was able to analyse where the aircraft is located.

AA: What is DCA’s approach in providing the best for the next-of-kin (NOK)?

AAR: We have a special protocol on how to handle the victims' families. In Malaysia, there is a committee to handle the passenger’s' NOK. And the committee has directed MAS to tell to each family member on the latest information. And MAS disseminates that information via telephone, website or in person.

Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai was Malaysia’s Transport Minister when the disappearance of MH370 unfolded before us. Over the last one year, he has been the face of the search and rescue operations spearheaded by the government often addressing press conferences and speaking to agitated relatives of those on board the aircraft.

In an exclusive chat with Astro AWANI, he speaks about the massive hunt for the plane that involved 26 countries and why it was necessary to declare MH370 an ‘accident’.

AA: After a year, how do you define the efforts that have taken place, up until a point when we eventually find the aircraft?

Tiong Lai: In remembering the first anniversary since the MH370 tragedy, I feel sad and always pray for the MH370 next-of-kin (NOK) so they can remain strong when facing these difficulties. I am sure Malaysians and the international community felt a sense of loss and we are always together as they face this difficult time. The Malaysian government is determined to continue with this search mission.

Since this tragedy, we have launched a massive search in which 26 countries, 166 assets including 81 aircraft and 85 ships have been deployed. I also want to mention here that an international search team, including Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB)  and Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia are all working together in this search mission and we’ve done our best to make sure we are searching at the right place based on the data gathered by Inmarsat . An area of 60,000 square kilometres has been targeted and up until now, we are able to complete 26,000 square km, or 44 percent of the designated search area.

AA: How do you see the process of engagement in terms of the family's welfare in the coming period?

TL: We know we are giving priority to family members. And we have set up a NOK committee. We have formed a centre aimed at providing communication and support to the families in Beijing. We also have launched websites where they can receive the latest information about MH370. What we can do for the future -- I think that's important – is that we have announced that MH370 is an accident. This will help the family members to move forward and help solve several matters such as insurance etc. Their welfare has been taken care of by the government and we have ordered MAS to accelerate the compensation payment.

Q: What are the biggest challenges faced by the government in dealing with family members?

A: I am facing a big challenge because the family members come to me to get answers. When family members come to me for answers, I am still looking for the answers. And that is why the objective of this search mission, is to get answers.  To allow me to give you the best possible answer, I need the strength to perform a search mission. We are with the family members. We understand the feelings, the pain and sadness that they are facing right now and how we can assist them in facing the future.

Q: A lot can be learned from this tragedy such as proposing 'real time tracking' for flights. How can Malaysia convince the international parties in the industry to implement this?

A: Malaysia has brought this proposal to the international stage at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) meeting in Montreal. We proposed for the 'real time tracking' system to be installed in all commercial flights and this proposal was well received. I have met with the Minister of Transport United States, Australia and China, as well as the ICAO President and stressed that this system should be installed as soon as possible. This is because these incidents can happen to any aircraft. This also proves that there is room for improvement in the level of safety in the aviation industry. A committee overlooking this system has been established by the ICAO and they have accepted our proposal. An announcement will be made August 31 in this matter.

Q: Do you think the search mission will be successful?

A: The collaboration between countries in this search mission is astounding. We have gotten great support from Australia and China. Each country is giving is assets and financial assistance to ensure that this mission is carried out successfully. Secondly, cooperation from other international countries has made us focus on increasing the safety level in the aviation industry. I think ICAO was also shocked by this tragedy and they have admitted that there is more room for improvement in terms of safety. Every day there are eight million people who fly. Therefore this is an important industry for maintaining the safety of our passengers and our crew and not let any safety issues affect them.

Q: What aspects of the search mission are we looking at as we move on?

A: I want to thank the staff who helped us in the search mission in the Indian Ocean. They worked hard continuing the search mission for more than six, seven months now. We hope that this mission can continue and we hope we can find MH370. And cooperation from international countries is crucial because Malaysia alone cannot find this missing plane. We are confident that in the future we will continue our commitment and we hope and believe that we can find MH370.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) today released an interim report on the investigation into the year-long disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370.

Below is the interim statement on the safety investigation for MH370 read by ICAO's investigator in charge, Datuk Kok Soo Chon:

1. This Interim Statement has been prepared under Chapter 6, paragraph 6 of ICAO2 Annex 13 to provide information on the progress of the investigation on Malaysia Airlines (MAS) Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, registered 9M-MRO.

The Beijing-bound international scheduled passenger flight, with a total of 239 persons (227 passengers and 12 crew) on board, departed KL International Airport (KLIA) at 1642 UTC on 7th March 2014 [0042 MYT on 8th March 2014]. Less than 40 minutes after take-off Air Traffic Controllers lost radar contact with the aircraft after passing waypoint IGARI.

2. As a Contracting State of ICAO and in accordance with Chapter 5, paragraph 5.33 of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation on Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, Malaysia, as the State of Registry is responsible for investigating the circumstances of accidents and of serious incidents.

3. The Minister of Transport Malaysia established an independent safety investigation team under Regulation 126(1)4 of the Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulations (MCAR) 1996 known as 'The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370' to conduct the investigation into the disappearance of Flight MH370.

The 19-member Investigation Team, headed by a Chief Inspector/Investigator-in-Charge, consists of three Committees, namely Operations, Airworthiness and Medical/Human Factors, each headed by a Chairman. Also participating in the Team are Accredited Representatives from seven5 international Air Accident and Incident Investigation Organisations.

4. The sole objective of the investigation of an accident or incident shall be the  prevention of future accidents or incidents. It is not the purpose of this activity to apportion blame or liability, as stated in paragraph 3.1 of Annex 13.

5. This Interim Statement is issued on progress of investigation up to 7th March 2015 and is based on the factual information gathered in accordance with sections 1.1 to 1.19 in Appendix of Annex 13. Details of the factual information is available on the Ministry of Transport website: www.mot.gov.my.

6. The Investigation Team had since gathered factual information on MH370 (9M-MRO) which included, among others, the following:-

7. In this regard, the Investigation Team emphasises that the factual information that has been gathered to date and published on the Ministry of Transport website is of an interim nature and new information that may become available may alter this information before the publication of the Final Report. The Investigation Team clarifies that the factual information gathered contains facts which have been determined up to the current date only and that this information is made available at this time solely to inform the aviation industry and the public of the general circumstances of the accident of MH370 and must necessarily be regarded as tentative and subject to alteration or correction if additional evidence becomes available.

8. The Investigation Team is now conducting analysis of the factual information and is considering the following areas:

9. Along with these activities, the Investigation Team has also prepared Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Checklists for investigation in accordance with Doc. 9756 AN965 in preparation for the recovery of the aircraft, once it is located by the search team.

10. In the months ahead, the Investigation Team will need to analyse to draw conclusions and safety recommendations based on the factual information that have been gathered. In addition to the analysis and the conclusion phase of the investigation, steps taken will also include further validation of the factual information on emergence of new evidence.

11. The Investigation Team expects that further factual information will be available from the wreckage and flight recorders if the aircraft is found.

Issued by:
The Malaysian ICAO Annex 13 Safety Investigation Team for MH370
8th March 2015