That sounds right. I've only transited that area East to West, coasting in around Da Nang to Bangkok and back and there's not a lot of reported radar coverage, even the HF is sketchy. In the age of digital ELTs, SATCOM, and ACARS, it's tough to imagine an airplane just disappearing.

RIP

Estimated Location

AF 447 was an Airbus, for which ACARS MX data-bursts are factory standard. For everyone else they're not.

Thank you.

I pray it is not terrorism, this crazy world seems one event away from WW3...

The plane had previously been damaged.

"The missing plane is believed to have been involved in a crash in August, 2012, when it damaged the tail of a China Eastern Airlines plane at Shanghai Pudong Airport, according to unconfirmed reports.

"In the incident, the tip of the wing of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 broke off."

Source: http://www.smh.com.a...0308-hvgnx.html

Quite honestly I think that many think like you, but ...
Many others have different vested interests, though all are saddened by this likely even.
Security in KLIA will pray that it was not terrorism.
The airline will pray that it was not pilot or company error.
The manufacturer will pray that it was not equipment failure.
The list goes on.

UPDATE [12:37]: Tuoi Tre, a leading daily in Vietnam, reports that the 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.

Unlikely, Malaysia is predominantly Muslim and they seem to get along well enough with their non-Muslim minorities. They don't have any internal conflicts that I know of. They are officially opposed to Israel, so the "usual suspects" would have no reason to target them, and every reason not to.

I also doubt any Chinese dissidents would blow up a non-chinese airliner...they prefer the moral support of the global community.

Uh Oh.

I hope it isn't so, but sounds like must've blown up... terrorism. How else do you explain no mayday calls and losing contact/radar with a 777?