MYSTERY IN THE SKY - WTF? - MH370 & MH17 & QZ8501 & More

[HairOfTheDog]

I saw someone speculate that it was on the ground somewhere being prepped for another terrorist attack.

Seeing more speculation that one/both of the pilots hijacked their own plane, essentially.

I understand the rationale, given the level of expertise needed to manually turn off the tracking devices. But, it's not hard for me to believe that someone on board could have forced them to do it as well.

Seems all the bases are being covered by authorities, but it must be a huge job investigating the backgrounds of 239 people.

About the pilots

Snip:
Najib said that in light of the mounting evidence that the plane was deliberately diverted, the investigation into the aircraft's crew and passengers would be stepped up.



Special branch officers have searched the homes of the captain, 53-year-old Zaharie Ahmad Shah (pictured right), and first officer, 27-year-old Fariq Abdul Hamid (pictured left), in middle class suburbs of Kuala Lumpur close to the international airport.

An experienced pilot, Zaharie has been described by current and former co-workers as a flying enthusiast who spent his off days operating a life-sized flight simulator he had set up at home.

The Transport Ministry said experts were examining the simulator but appealed to the public "not to jump to conclusions regarding the police investigation".

The senior police official said the flight simulator programmes were looked at closely, adding they appeared to be normal ones that allowed players to practice flying and landing in different conditions.

Postings on his Facebook page suggest the pilot was a politically active opponent of the coalition that has ruled Malaysia for the 57 years since independence.

A day before the plane vanished, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of sodomy and sentenced to five years in prison, in a ruling his supporters and international human rights groups say was politically influenced.

Asked if Zaharie's background as an opposition supporter was being examined, the senior police officer would say only: "We need to cover all our bases."

Malaysia Airlines has said it did not believe Zaharie would have sabotaged the plane, and colleagues were incredulous.

"Please, let them find the aircraft first. Zaharie is not suicidal, not a political fanatic as some foreign media are saying," a Malaysia Airlines pilot who is close to Zaharie told Reuters. "Is it wrong for anyone to have an opinion about politics?"

Co-pilot Fariq was religious and serious about his career, family and friends said, countering news reports suggesting he was a cockpit Romeo who was reckless on the job.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/16...73598.html