The mystery of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which vanished over nine years ago, may have been solved thanks to a remarkable find on Google Maps. Technology expert Ian Wilson claims to have identified the missing aircraft in the dense Cambodian jungle.
Wilson, a UK-based technology professional, said: “Measuring the Google sighting, you’re looking at around 69 metres, but there looks to be a gap between the tail and the back of the plane. It’s just slightly bigger, but there’s a gap that would probably account for that.”
He believes the remains of MH370, which disappeared with 239 passengers and crew on board during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, lie scattered in one of the most remote parts of Cambodia.
The disappearance of MH370 on March 8, 2014, triggered the largest search operation in aviation history, becoming one of the greatest unsolved mysteries. Despite extensive efforts, including a 1,500-page report, the exact fate of the aircraft remains unknown. However, the search could see a resurgence following renewed investigations in the United States, as reported by the Mirror.
Wilson detailed his painstaking search efforts using Google Earth: “I was on there [Google Earth], a few hours here, a few hours there. If you added it up I spent hours searching for places a plane could have gone down. And in the end, as you can see, the place where the plane is. It is literally the greenest, darkest part you can see.”
While the Bureau of Aircraft Investigations Archives has not dismissed the possibility that the 2018 Google Maps sighting could be MH370, other avenues of investigation are also being explored. Researchers in Florida are examining temperature data from barnacles found on plane debris. These barnacles could potentially reveal the aircraft’s path through the ocean based on the chemistry of their shells, which corresponds to water temperature changes over time.
Gregory Herbert, an associate professor of evolutionary biology at the University of South Florida, told the MailOnline: “As soon as I saw that, I immediately began sending emails to the search investigators because I knew the geochemistry of their shells could provide clues to the crash location.” He explained that barnacles grow their shells daily, allowing scientists to track environmental conditions at specific times.
In light of these developments, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has expressed a willingness to reopen the investigation. “We have taken the position that if there is a compelling case, evidence that it needs to be re-opened, we’re certainly happy to reopen. Whatever needs to be done must be done,” Anwar said at a press conference in Melbourne earlier this month.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke has indicated that Texas-based firm Ocean Infinity is prepared to search a designated area of the Indian Ocean on a no-find, no-fee basis.
While the details of any potential fees remain unclear, Loke said the government’s commitment to locating MH370. At a recent remembrance event for those lost, he reiterated: “The government is steadfast in our resolve to locate MH370. We are waiting for Ocean Infinity to provide suitable dates, and I will meet them anytime that they are ready to come to Malaysia.”