Saturday at 12:40 a.m. a Malaysia Airlines B777-200 (registration #9M-MRO) took off from Kuala Lumpur and disappeared.
Subang Air Traffic said radio and radar contact was lost from flight MH370 at 01:22, forty minutes into the flight, contact was never made with Ho Chi Minh Control Center in Vietnam at the expected time. Chinese reports deny the plane ever entered their airspace. Subang ATC did not inform the airline until 02:40, which may have caused a catastrophic delay in the information stream, preventing the possibility of rescue.
A search is underway for the missing plane somewhere along the route between the Gulf of Thailand and the China Sea, northeast of Kota Bharu (Malaysia).
Radar suggests a descent of the aircraft.
The plane’s first flight was May 14, 2002. It is 11 years old and flew on Rolls Royce Trent 892 engines.
The flight’s intended destination was Beijing.
Our prayers are with the twelve crew and 227 passengers. Reports are that two infants were aboard.
Malaysia Airlines has released two statements so far:
“Saturday, March 08, 07:30 AM MYT +0800 Media Statement – MH370 Incident released at 7.24am
Sepang, 8 March 2014: Malaysia Airlines confirms that flight MH370 has lost contact with Subang Air Traffic Control at 2.40am, today (8 March 2014).
Flight MH370, operated on the B777-200 aircraft, departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am on 8 March 2014. MH370 was expected to land in Beijing at 6.30am the same day. The flight was carrying a total number of 227 passengers (including 2 infants), 12 crew members.
Malaysia Airlines is currently working with the authorities who have activated their Search and Rescue team to locate the aircraft.
The airline will provide regular updates on the situation. Meanwhile, the public may contact +603 7884 1234 for further info.
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2nd statement
Saturday, March 08, 09:05 AM MYT +0800 Malaysia Airlines MH370 Flight Incident – 2nd Media Statement
We deeply regret that we have lost all contacts with flight MH370 which 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. Subang Air Traffic Control reported that it lost contact at 2.40am (local Malaysia time) today.
Flight MH370 was operated on a Boeing B777-200 aircraft. 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 13 different nationalities. Malaysia Airlines is currently working with the 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.
Focus of the airline 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.
For the next-of-kin, please inform them to to Anjung Tinjau, Level 5, KLIA. Our staff will be there to assist. Transport will be provided to go to the South Support Zone Facility building for the next-of-kin.
Or next-of-kin may head straight to the Support Facility Building at KLIA’s South Support Zone.
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Flight path