09 March 2024 , 15:19
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Pilot suicide is the “only explanation” to explain what happened to missing flight MH370, according to an aviation expert.
Today marks a full decade since dozens of families last saw the 227 passengers and 12 members of the crew alive. The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Beijing in China and, despite a massive search costing tens of millions of pounds, no sign of the plane has ever been found - other than small fragments of fuselage.
As a result relatives and friends of those aboard have never been able to properly say goodbye or grieve, uncertain as to their fate. Over the years several theories have been discussed as to what happened. Now expert Beverley Boden, head of department for aviation, tourism, finance and marketing at Teesside University International Business School says only one option remains viable - pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 52, plunged the plane into the sea on purpose.
She told the Mirror: “Ten years have passed since the infamous disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, yet the families and investigators are still left grappling with unanswered questions. Despite numerous theories and extensive search efforts, the fate of MH370 remains shrouded in mystery.
A decade has now passed since the plane vanished (AFP via Getty Images)“Many conspiracy theories have evolved, adding to the pain and despair of many grief-stricken families. With evidence of wreckage washed ashore and unanswered questions about the pilot’s mental health, there appears to be no other explanation other than a deliberate attempt from the flight deck to ditch the plane.
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“There was no mayday call, no pan-pan-pan (possible assistance needed), and no evidence of forced entry to the cockpit. Still, ten years on, there are more questions than answers. “The issue is, there is no evidence, and so other theories are exactly that. The role of a pilot can be stressful, and we do not know what goes on behind the glamour and the uniform. They work long hours and in a confined space, away from their families which in itself can take its toll.”
It was previously reported the disappeared over the Andaman Sea and, according to satellite analysis, the plane was said to have re-directed and likely crashed into the Southern Indian Ocean. Miss Boden added: “Other theories don't stack up, for example the USA knowing something or if Russia had any involvement.
“Planes go up, and planes come down, but what they don’t do is vanish into thin air, and this is what happened. Was it terrorism, was it an act of war, was it a deliberate act, was it hijacking? Some family members think that airline officials intentionally placed washed-up debris from a Boeing 777 to divert attention from the flight crew.
“Sadly, pilot suicide is nothing new. The co-pilot of EgyptAir Flight 990, which crashed off New England in 1999, killing 217 people, deliberately crashed the plane as an act of vengeance as he had earlier been reprimanded for sexual misconduct before boarding the fatal flight. Germanwings Flight 9525 crashed into the Alps in March 2015, killing 150 passengers and crew as the pilot deliberately crashed the plane into a mountain."
Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz had locked himself in the cockpit when his fellow pilot was away. According to the German newspaper Bild, a former girlfriend of Lubitz said he had told her: "One day I will do something that will change the whole system, and then all will know my name and remember it."
Ms Boden sympathised with the families of those on board MH370 as the mystery endures, saying: "The lack of concrete evidence and the absence of a clear answer only add to the frustration and despair felt by the families of those onboard. The kneejerk reaction to the events of 9/11 with the ill-thought reinforced cockpit door has had catastrophic consequences, with crews unable to re-enter the cockpit should the sterile environment change.
“Nonetheless, the families of MH370 continue to hold onto hope for answers and closure as they patiently await any new developments or breakthroughs in the investigation. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history as lessons continue to be learned in how airlines respond to crisis management and crew resource management.”
The Mirror contacted Malaysia Airlines over this story, but it declined to comment.