The search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 continues to expand as more information becomes available about the flight path of that Boeing 777. The search area now spans nearly eight million square kilometers, an area larger than the entire landmass of Australia.
It has now been 11 days since the plane went missing, including its 239 passengers. “Investigators believe it was diverted by someone with deep knowledge of the Boeing 777-200ER and commercial navigation, and flown perhaps thousands of kilometers off its scheduled course from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing,” according to ABC News.
“I do think it’s very strange,” said Holly Reid, a sophomore psychology major at Seton Hill University (SHU). “I read that there were passengers that weren’t accounted for and other things and I think we’re more paranoid about these things because of 9/11 but it’s strange to me.”
“There’s something that doesn’t sit right with me about,” said Marisa Balatico, a sophomore education major at SHU. “They had the data of where the plane was going but all they’ve been able to do is widen the search,” Balatico said.
“Our purpose is firstly to find anyone alive if there is anyone to be found [and] secondly, to prove or discount the possibility that the aircraft came south – to do that would be a significant development in the search,” said Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s (AMSA) emergency response general manager John Young to ABC News.
There are now 26 nations involved in search efforts and no evidence to date as to the jet’s whereabouts. Two passengers on the plane were carrying stolen passports. The passports belonged to Iranian nationals. Authorities have since cleared those passengers carrying stolen passports of any suspicious history during a background search.