MH 370: The One That Disappeared

Conspiracy theories and sensationalism are on display in the mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's disappearance in 2014.

Les Abend

Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 12:22 PM ET

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Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared on March 8, 2014. [Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

The author, an aviation analyst, criticizes the Netflix docuseries "MH 370: The Plane That Disappeared" for promoting implausible conspiracy theories about the flight's disappearance, calling it a disservice to the grieving families.
The article reiterates the established facts, such as Inmarsat's satellite "handshake" data indicating MH370 flew for hours into the South Indian Ocean and the discovery of debris fragments in Africa.
It systematically debunks three main theories presented in the series—pilot mass-murder suicide, Russian operatives seizing control, and a U.S. military shootdown—by highlighting their practical and logical inconsistencies with aviation realities and known data.

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Other than Amelia Earhart’s fate, civil aviation has no greater mystery than the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on March 8, 2014. The Boeing 777-200 departed Kuala Lumpur International Airport (WMKK) in the very early hours of the morning, destined for Beijing. It never arrived.

Having flown a 777 for nine years and having responsibly contributed to the media frenzy as an aviation analyst, the story resonates on a personal level. Perhaps that’s why I take issue with the Netflix three-part docuseries MH 370: The Plane That Disappeared. But more than my own angst, it is a disservice to the families and friends that lost loved ones to focus on theories that defy the facts for the purpose of generating a profit. Spoiler alert: Among other topics, this column summarizes the three conspiracy theories presented.