Fariq Abdul Hamid is the co-pilot on Malaysia flight 370, which has now been missing for 10 days. As Malaysian authorities turn their investigation inward in an attempt to figure out what happened, both of the plane’s pilots are now under heavy scrutiny.
Here is what you need to know:
1. He Allegedly Said ‘Good Night’ Before the Plane Disappeared
One of the most disturbing and telling pieces of evidence to emerge from flight 370’s mysterious disappearance was the calm voice that uttered the final words to air traffic control. Authorities now believe that co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid is the one who uttered an informal “all right, good night” — 12 minutes after the plane’s first communication transponder was shut off, and two minutes before the second and final transponder was shut off.
This eery farewell and its curious timing may be an indicator that the plane’s disappearance was not an accident.
2. He Lives in a Middle Class Suburban Neighborhood
Fariq’s Suburban home. (Getty)
The picture above shows Hamid’s home in a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. As authorities began looking into the religious and political affiliations of the crew, passengers, and pilots, they also investigated where they lived.
3. Unknown Items Were Removed From His Home During a Search
Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah. (Facebook)
While searching the homes of both co-pilot Hamid and Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, police removed unidentified items from Hamid’s house. The reportedly carried small unidentified bags from his home.
CNN JUST IN: police just left the co-pilot’s home carrying small bags. #MH370
— Vaughn Sterling (@vplus) March 15, 2014
Police seized a flight simulator from captain Shah’s house, hoping it would contain clues about any sort of plan.
4. Investigators Are Wondering if Suicide Was a Motive
(Getty)
Police are investigating the chance that the motive behind the disappearance could be suicide on the part of one, or both, of the pilots.
This is especially the case in regards to Zaharie Ahmad Shah, whose wife and three grown children moved out of the house only a day before the plane’s disappearance.
There is little evidence to suggest the two pilots had any conceived plans as they did not request to fly with each other that evening.
5. Experts Doubt Any Terrorist Involvement
(Getty)
Reuters is now reporting that authorities and experts doubt any ties exist between those who may be responsible for the plane’s disappearance, and the Islamic fundamentalists in the region.
Experts also doubted that local terror organizations and cells had the know-how to hijack and plane and to turn off the tracking and communication equipment.
