The unexplained vanishing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has been plaguing the world since 2014 – and a new theory about the plane’s mysterious disappearance makes a shocking claim.
Flight MH370 went missing in March 2014, while it was flying from Malaysia to Beijing, with 238 passengers onboard. The plane was tracked going off course from its planned route just before it disappeared altogether.
Two large-scale searches were conducted, and while some debris has been found, the aircraft itself has still not been located.
A team of Malaysian investigators looked into the plane’s disappearance, but concluded there was no reason to believe there’d been a mechanical problem, or to suspect the captain or first officer.
The investigators admitted, as reported by the Independent:
The team is unable to determine the real cause for the disappearance of MH370.
There’ve been many theories surrounding the plane’s disappearance, and Aviation Security International editor, Philip Baum, has his own thoughts.
He put forward his theory within a week of the plane’s disappearance – but he doesn’t think anyone has properly considered what he’s suggested.
Baum believes there may have been a stowaway on the plane who’d planned to sabotage the flight.
He said:
No officials seem to want to even contemplate the possibility of a stowaway being on board.
The professor of aviation security suggested, while the plane was still on the ground in Malaysia, one or more stowaways could have hidden themselves inside the plane.
The stowaways could have accessed the plane through the underfloor avionics bay, which has a self-closing access panel. There’s also access to the plane through an external door at the bottom of the fuselage.
Baum explained how, the fact no officials are connsidering the idea, leads him to believe he may be on the right track.
He said:
I think a stowaway is a strong possibility, especially as no officials seem to want to even contemplate the possibility.
Given the number of stowaways onboard flights in the past, Baum’s theory seems entirely possible. Aviation Security International has reported, on 107 different flights, 123 stowaway attempts have been reported internationally.
Many of those who attempt to conceal themselves on the plane risk freezing to death by concealing themselves in wheel wells.
Others have managed to get onboard by disguising themselves as cleaners or airport officials.
According to the Independent, the Boeing 777 – the aircraft of flight MH370 – has a hatch in the floor behind the flight deck, which gives access to the main equipment bay. The bay has room for a person to hide.
Despite this theory, the Malaysian accident report simply says, there was ‘a total of 239 persons on board (227 passengers and 12 crew)’ – not considering there may have been anyone on board who was unaccounted for.
Of the many theories surrounding the plane’s shocking disappearance, Baum has some understandable and acceptable reasoning behind it.
Maybe one day we’ll find out what really happened?
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.