The Vanishing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370

One of Aviation History's most Baffling Mysteries

John T. Cullen presents Lemma 3, a Plausible Solution

Vanished MH370 Airliner Mystery. A plausible solution to one of aviation history's greatest enigmas; based on reported facts, keeps all cards on the table; this saga is far from over. Lemma 3: the aircraft was hijacked, taken toward the Horn of Africa to be weaponized and dropped on a major European target to rival New York's 9/11. Plot failed (this time)—but 'they' will try again.

After 3 Years, Authorities Gave Up. The plane vanished on 8 March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board, on a routine night flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing, China. Read the details at Wikipedia for a quick brushup. The search, most expensive in history, yielded zero results by the time authorities gave up in mid-2017. Debris washed ashore thousands of miles away along the eastern coast of Africa, as well as some islands.

A Plausible Solution. I (John T. Cullen, a San Diego author) used the available facts, as I did with my investigation of the 1892 Coronado mystery, to come up with a plausible solution. My 2014 book, still available, is a dramatization of my theory, released in June 2014, just three months after the disappearance. In 2016, I published a second (update) edition (same content, only a new, long 2016 Preface with new thoughts and facts).

Naval Interest. U.S. Government officials, including the Chief of Naval Operations, expressed interest in my theory. The book was placed on a recommended reading list for Navy junior enlisted personnel. I have not pressed the issue, and they have not further commented—but I'm sure they continue to look at all possible angles, now that the Australians and other investigators in the Indian Ocean region have pretty well thrown in the towel.

Witnesses in Maldives: A Different Story. On the night of the disappearance, credible witnesses in Maldives Islands, including a school teacher and fishing boat captain, saw the aircraft crossing overhead, so they reported to authorities who promptly dismissed the reports. For unfathomable reasons, the Australians, who took the lead in the investigation, fixated on a technical theory causing them to believe the plane headed south and fell into the Indian Ocean just west of Australia. Maldives, however, is an island nation southwest of India, thousands of miles from Australia. What could that aircraft have been doing if we are to believe the Maldives witnesses? My theory: it was hijacked, refueled in the Bay of Bengal, and flown toward the Horn of Africa to be weaponized. It would be potentially a more horrifying attack than 9-11 if the plane were dropped on (for example) St. Peter's in Rome, St. Paul's in London (Christian targets hated by jihadi fanatics); or Israel; or a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Med.

All Cards on the Table. I proposed sorting all possible solutions into three Lemmas or legs (givens). One, it was an accident; that's been discounted. Two, it was a random act of sabotage by someone on board (crew or passenger); that's unlikely because what happened will have taken too many resources to accomplish. Three (Lemma Three, my proposal) goes back to the prematurely dismissed witness sightings in Maldives. Authorities need to take another look at all the options—all three major Lemmas.

Deep Breath; Start Over. I am not a conspiracy nut or facile theorist. I am extremely cautious and scholarly in my approach when I tackle one of these mysteries. In the case of Coronado, I am convinced my solution is the correct one. In the case of MH370, I'll hedge a bit and say it's at least 50% likely. I'd have given it a 33% before authorities gave up the search, having found nothing. If they had found even a piece of plastic, a shred of paper, or a cigarette butt from MH370, I'd hang it up. I predicted that debris would wash up in the locations where it did, based on the idea that the plane crashed into the sea south of the Arabian Peninsula on its way to a secret refitting station on the Horn of Africa, which is one of the most lawless places on Earth today. A single shred of plastic would have nullified my theory. But there wasn't a shred. That bumps my cautious confidence factor up to at least 80% or so.

Let's Get Real: "They" Will Try Again. This time, let's be ready. If you are interested, please take a look at my dedicated website MH370 Africa, where I have been tracking the investigation since 2014. Draw your own conclusions. If Lemma 3 is the correct answer, "they" will try again. Next time, "they" may get lucky, and the world will face yet another heart-breaking disaster like 9-11, or the loss of ancient Roman Palmyra, or some other horrifying act of mass murder in the service of madness and insanity disguised as religion.

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