Malaysia Airlines Plane Crashes In South China Sea With 239 People Aboard - 8 Mar 2014People - 8 Mar 2014 - Boeing 777 carrying 239 people vanishes over Vietnam 'after abruptly plunging 200ft' two hours after take-off amid fears of crash A major search has been launched for a Malaysian Airlines jet with 239 people on board after it lost contact flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Airline officials admitted they were gravely concerned for the safety of the aircraft. It was not immediately known which nationalities were on board the jet which was flying on a popular route. An unconfirmed report on a flight tracking website said the aircraft had plunged 200m and changed course shortly before all contact was lost. The route would have taken flight MH370, a B777-200 aircraft, across the Malaysian mainland in a north easterly direction and then across the Gulf of Thailand. Those on board included two infants and 12 crew members, Malaysian Airlines said in a statement, adding it was working with all authorities in the region and search and rescue teams had been mobilised. The aircraft had been due to land in Beijing at 6.30am local time but at 7.54am the airline issued a statement saying it had not landed and was officially missing. Aviation experts said that if the report of the aircraft suddenly plunging was correct it could be due to a number of factors. These include a catastrophic engine failure, the pilots taking evasive action to avoid another aircraft, or an explosion. The airline has not said whether the pilots were able to issue a distress call - but if they did not, experts said this could indicate a catastrophy that had occurred without warning. Malaysian Airlines said it would issue updates as soon as more information became available. The aircraft had enough fuel on board for a seven hour flight and and the airline said that given the time it has been missing it would have already run out of fuel. Fearing the worst, the airline has begun contacting relatives of the passengers warning them that the flight has not arrived and they should prepare themselves for bad news. The Boeing jet lost contact with Malaysian air traffic controllers a little over two hours into its flight. Subscribe For Breaking News Tags Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Loses Contact' with 239 Souls On Board Malaysia Airlines hunts for missing plane carrying 239 Malaysia loses contact with plane carrying 239 Malaysia Airlines Loses Contact With Plane Carrying 239 Malaysia Airlines Flight With 239 Aboard Goes Missing Contact lost with Malaysia Airlines plane Officials have lost contact with Malaysia Airlines plane Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Loses Contact' Malaysia Airlines plane loses contact, 239 on board Malaysia Airlines Plane LOSES CONTACT on Same Day Chinese Flight Almost Hit By NKorea Missile Malaysia Airlines plane Crash Malaysia Airlines plane crashes off Vietnam coast Malaysia Airlines Plane Crashes In South China Sea With 239 People Aboard - 8 Mar 2014 Malaysia Airlines flight to Beijing loses contact with Flight MH370 | Malaysia Airlines Flight Crash Malaysia Airlines Flight Crash Into Vietnam Sea Malaysia Airline Planes Crash

• published: 08 Mar 2014
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