10 minutes later (1:30am), and this is the thing that dooms the article's theory for me, a jet half an hour ahead was asked to radio the plane and request location. The captain did make contact and heard the copilot answer. It's possible there were electrical problems since he said the line had lots of static on it, but in the end there was no mention of an emergency. Once you are communicating I would expect there to be mention of a fire, etc (but maybe not a hijacking).
Re:MH370: A different point of view
by VolatileVoid on Tuesday March 18, 2014 @03:31AM
(#7420618)
Hypoxia?
I know, I know, I'm reaching. But it'd explain the "mumbling."
Two minutes later, at 1.21 a.m. local time, the transponder - a device identifying jets to ground controllers - was turned off in a move that experts say could reveal a careful sequence."
-Reuters
Turning off the transponder two minutes after communication and turning IMO rules out fire. It would have had to take place in a 2 minute window.