U.S.: Flight 370 Flew for HOURS After Losing Contact; Focus Shifts to Indian Ocean

(Getty)

New information about what happened to Malaysia flight 370 after it lost contact with air traffic control and “disappeared” reveals that it was in the air for four or five hours and possibly flew in the opposite direction than Beijing, its intended destination, according to a United States analysis of engine data.

The Boeing 777 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing early on the morning of March 8, when it lost contact with air traffic control. Since then, a coalition of nations and internet users from around the world have been trying to figure out where the plane is now.

The search started in the South China Sea, in keeping with the plane’s initial intended flight path between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing. Then, after military radar revealed the plane reversed direction, the search extended to the Strait of Malacca on the other side of Malaysia. Now, as information surfaces that the plane may have flown west for hours, the United States is moving its search efforts to the Indian Ocean.

The circles indicate the suspected locations of the plane, (from right to left) the South China Sea, the Strait of Malacca, and now, the Indian Ocean. (Google)

ABC News is now reporting that the United States is sending the USS Kidd to the Indian Ocean to begin searching that area. Though, the Malaysian Defense Minister the United States’ information and reiterated that the South China Sea will continue to be the primary focus of the search.

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