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The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 on March 8, 2014 remains one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries.
The Boeing 777, which was carrying 239 people on the route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, disappeared from radar less than two hours after takeoff. Despite efforts, the main wreckage was never found.
Several theories have tried to explain what happened – from a kidnapping to a mechanical failure or even a deliberate action by the pilot. However, no distress signals, ransom demands or conclusive evidence emerged. After spending around $130 million, official searches were suspended in 2017, covering an area of 120,000 square kilometers in the Indian Ocean.
A promising new avenue involves hydrophones, underwater microphones that detect sound waves and pressure changes in the ocean. These devices are sensitive enough to pick up signals from earthquakes or large impacts in the ocean, such as a plane crash.
Usama Kadri of Cardiff University analyzed hydroacoustic data from stations in Western Australia and Diego Garcia Island, focusing on signals recorded around the time MH370 likely crashed. Although it identified a possible signal close to the plane’s possible trajectory, background noise from waves and marine life complicated the analysis.
According to , Kadri suggests that controlled underwater explosionsreplicating the energy from the crash of MH370, could help confirm the location.
Another innovative approach comes from the study of technology Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR). This system, developed for low-power radio communications, records data that can reveal an aircraft’s interference with radio signals.
Simon Maskell, from the University of Liverpool, is working with retired aerospace engineer Richard Godfrey to analyze anomalies in WSPR signals along MH370’s suspected flight path. Godfrey believes these disturbances could indicate the plane’s location, although more research is needed to validate this theory.
A third line of investigation involves barnacles found on a flaperon of MH370, which came ashore on Reunion Island in 2015. Researchers are studying the chemical composition of the barnacle shells, which grow in layers that reflect the water temperature during their formation. By comparing this data with ocean temperature maps, scientists hope to discover the origin of the debris.
Meanwhile, Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics company, plans to resume searches using advanced robotic technology. The company proposed a no-search, no-cost mission to the Malaysian government, with the aim of applying the latest techniques to locate the missing plane.
Although political decisions and funding will ultimately determine the timing of a new search, experts remain hopeful. As Maskell suggests, “At some point, someone will find him [o MH370]”.
