I have read a few articles in the last hour saying it could have been a clear air turbulence encounter. Pure speculation, I know. But it would explain a lack of radar, and apparently disappeared aircraft if it broke up. (if over water, or until they find it)

Is it possible in that area of the world and with that aircraft to have a nav and com failure due to sever turbulence?(im not familiar with system redundancies in the 777)
I could see severe turbulence damaging an aircraft in such a way both are lost and maybe they got off course over water and ran out of fuel?

Yes, that is the unfortunate reality. It is still being reported on the news as if it were still flying. Looks like they were at 35000..

http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/e...dark-site.html

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are deeply saddened this morning with the news on MH370.

Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH370 had lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2.40am, today. There has been speculation that the aircraft has landed at Nanming. We are working to verify the authenticity of the report and others.

Flight MH370 was operated on a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. It departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41 am earlier this morning bound for Beijing. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Beijing International Airport at 6.30am local Beijing time.

The flight was carrying a total number of 239 passengers and crew – comprising 227 passengers (including 2 infants), 12 crew members. The passengers were of 14 different nationalities - citizens from:-



1. China – 152 plus 1 infant

2. Malaysia - 38

3. Indonesia - 12

4. Australia - 7

5. France - 3

6. United States of America – 3 pax plus 1 infant

7. New Zealand - 2

8. Ukraine - 2

9. Canada - 2

10. Russia - 1

11. Italy - 1

12. Taiwan - 1

13. Netherlands - 1

14. Austria - 1

This flight was a code share with China Southern Airlines.

We are working with authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft.

Our team is currently calling the next-of-kin of passengers and crew.

The flight was piloted by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a Malaysian aged 53. He has a total flying hours of 18,365hours. He joined Malaysia Airlines in 1981. First officer, Fariq Ab.Hamid, a Malaysian, is aged 27. He has a total flying hours of 2,763 hours. He joined Malaysia Airlines in 2007.

Our focus now is to work with the emergency responders and authorities and mobilize its full support. Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members.

The airline will provide regular updates on the situation. The public may contact +603 7884 1234. For media queries, kindly contact +603 8777 5698/ +603 8787 1276.

Next-of-kin may head to the Support Facility Building at KLIA’s South Support Zone. For directions, call 03 8787 1269.

Captain had almost 19,000 hours and has been flying for the airline since 1981.

Disregard...

FO with only 2,800 hours? Wow. And had been employed with the airline since 2007. Must have been hired at 250 hours. Scary.

Not the first airline to hire 250 hr wonder pilots. European and Asian airlines have always incorporated Ab-Initio pilots into flying heavy metal ever since ever. Their training is quite different than ours from PPL - Commercial.

UPDATE [12:37] Vietnamese Navy has confirmed the plane crashed into the ocean. According to Navy Admiral Ngo Van Phat, Commander of the Region 5, military radar recorded that the plane crashed into the sea at a location 153 miles South of Phu Quoc island.

RIP :'(. horrible.

Damn. Horrible.

RIP