I Think I Saw MH370

[SaucySailoress]

OK, so between February 20th and March 10th we were crossing the Indian Ocean the wrong way from Cochin, India to Phuket, Thailand.

On the night in question (7th-8th March), I was standing a night watch alone. Well, sitting, really. Watching the stars, since I had been spending the passage identifying and learning a new constellation every night. And I thought I saw a burning plane cross behind our stern from port to starboard; which would have been approximately North to South. It was about half the height of other flights which I had been gazing at during that part of the passage.

Since that's not something you see every day, I questioned my mind. I was looking at what appeared to be an elongated plane glowing bright orange, with a trail of black smoke behind it. It did occur to me it might be a meteorite. But I thought it was more likely I was going insane.

At the time we were at the tail end of a very, very harsh passage into the weather which was had been mountainous, having been flooded badly from the anchor locker and swamped from the companionway so EVERYTHING was soaked, and stays breaking amongst other stuff which just piled up to make me flip. By this time my rucksack was packed, and the divorce planned. (We didn't actually divorce, we are fixing it)

When we hit land everyone was talking about the missing plane and asking if we'd seen anything. Since I had doubted what I saw and was emotionally in a bad way, I brushed over what I thought I'd seen, and focused instead on the stories of Boatie who was 'missing' on the Atlantic, and Eric and Charlotte who'd scuppered in the Pacific.

Besides, I thought, they'll find it.

But tonight I heard that they were looking in the wrong place, so HWMO and I looked back through our GPS log, and lo and behold, what we saw was consistent with the confirmed contact which authorities had from MH370.

My questions are:

1 - Who should I tell? And should I bother?
2 - If it was a plane on fire that I saw, how long would it maintain its flight and where would it be likely to end up.

Attached are screenshots of where we were at that time (the highlighted portion of our track).

Edit: I have made some corrections in red to my post where what I originally wrote was badly worded leading to misunderstanding. I have left the original wording in place. 02.06.14

[Hud3]

That's extraordinary, SS! If I were you, I would definitely report the sighting.

I believe that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau played the lead role in coordinating the search in the Indian Ocean to the west of Australia. You could contact them, and I'm sure they'd know what to do from there.

Report an accident or incident:
Aviation, Marine and Rail accident and incident notifications
Telephone ATSB (toll-free, 24 hours): 1800 011 034
Tel International (24 hours): +61 2 6230 4408
Submit an accident or incident notification

[IdoraKeeper]

It could really help. The aircraft being on fire (pallet of batteries onboard) is a possible cause of the loss. If you can get them real good data on your position during the sighting that can help them refine the track. It seems that now they will need to search the entire bottom along the track. If fire was the cause, they will likely find it north of the point of fuel exhaustion, as the fire may have brought it down before it ran out of gas. Those nicad batteries are a terrible hazard.

[cropduster]

I was wondering if any body was sailing in this aeria and might have seen something. I believe the government has opened bids to private companys to take over the search. I would watch to see who gets the contract and contact them.

[MarkJ]

Report immediately to the mob thats the overall controller of the search, Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre.

This is the group Air Marshal Angus Houston is in charge of.


Joint Agency Coordination Centre

If you have an inquiry about the Joint Agency Coordination Centre's activities, you can email us as at JACC@infrastructure.gov.au, or telephone 1800 621 372 within Australia.

For people residing outside Australia telephone +61 2 6274 6990.

[SaltyMonkey]

Im confused...

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

...
On the night in question (7th-8th March), I was standing a night watch alone. Well, sitting, really. Watching the stars, since I had been spending the passage identifying and learning a new constellation every night....

and then...

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

...
...At the time we were at the tail end of a very, very harsh passage into the weather which was mountainous...

So, you say you are learning constellations in heavy weather? I didn't know the sky could be so clear.

Secondly, yes there was a report similar to yours at the time -- plane on fire. I am trying to find it, but yes they might say its a meteor.

Either case you can report it. Why not?

[Andrew B.]

Contact CNN(Cable News Network).

[Prairie Chicken]

SS, you sound like exactly the sort of witness the RCC would like to hear from. Be prepared to provide time, L&L, & full details. Yes, it would be nicer if you were fresh & alert & had taken a picture--but you may be the best they have, or at least corroborative.

And the good news would be ... you weren't going crazy!

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by SaltyMonkey

Im confused...

So, you say you are learning constellations in heavy weather? I didn't know the sky could be so clear.

It was towards the end of a three week passage, and we had plenty of clear skies, despite some very strong winds and heavy swells. Plenty of clouds too. Most of my stargazing had been done during weeks one and 2, even though that was when we had the heaviest weather. I think by week 3 my neck was sort of stuck in a backward bend.

That week we also ended up in a severe squall for a short while one night in flat seas despite the winds which picked up suddenly, and hardly any vis cos of the thick rain, and the whole sea around us was glowing green with phosporescence (also cos of the thick rain), and it was like being stuck in an alien dome. It was amazing, and the words aren't effectively describing the surreal feeling it left.

Like I said, by this stage I was seriously doubting my sanity.

[SaltyMonkey]

Doesn't matter whether you were insane or not, or whether it might have been a meteor.

go ahead and report it.

Here are some articles:
Oil rig worker saw Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 go down: report - National | Globalnews.ca
Several ground witnesses claim they saw Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 - CNN.com
Oil rig worker says he saw Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 burst into flames | News.com.au

[category4jay]

Wow what an incredible story. Leave it to a cruiser to break the biggest mystery in history. You obviously have a moral and/or ethical duty to report your story to the appropriate officials. But beware and be prepared you're gonna get grilled (questioned).

1. Why did it take so long? Seriously. There are tons of publicity hounds out there willing to lie to make the news.

2. "On the night in question (7th-8th March)." Was it the 7th or 8th?

3. "I was standing a night watch alone." No corroborating witnesses.

4. "I thought I saw a burning plane." Thought??

5. "It was about half the height of other flights which I had been gazing at during that part of the passage". What "height" was it? Half of what?

6. "I questioned my mind... I thought it was more likely I was going insane." Thats not gonna play well.

7. "At the time we were at the tail end of a very, very harsh passage into the weather which was mountainous, having been flooded badly from the anchor locker and swamped from the companionway so EVERYTHING was soaked, and stays breaking amongst other stuff which just piled up to make me flip. By this time my rucksack was packed, and the divorce planned." Relevancy?

8. "I had doubted what I saw and was emotionally in a bad way." The sound of a solid witness? Not really.

SS I'm not discounting what you thought you saw or anything you've said. Just be prepared. Very prepared...especially if you are right and you did see MH370. Your world will never be that same if you provide THE clue. Good Luck.

[chris_gee]

What time base are you talking? Malaysian time would presumably make it easier to compare with other reports.

[SaucySailoress]

I agree entirely with all these points, and they all factor into why I didn't report it sooner. I'm answering in red since I can't be bothered splitting all the points into seperate quotes:

Originally Posted by category4jay

Wow what an incredible story. Leave it to a cruiser to break the biggest mystery in history. You obviously have a moral and/or ethical duty to report your story to the appropriate officials. But beware and be prepared you're gonna get grilled (questioned).

1. Why did it take so long? Seriously. There are tons of publicity hounds out there willing to lie to make the news.
Because I couldn't believe what I think I saw. I mean, I saw it, but it was just so unlikely. Plus I was stressed by the time we hit shore. Very stessed. And I wasn't absolutely sure of what I had seen, and can't even be positive it was that night. I don't follow the news, not even when ashore (I barely have time to do my job, it's lucky I have an understanding boss). The reason it started bothering me today was because of a news item on Thai Radio saying the survey boat is heading back in due to technical difficulties, and it peaked my interest.

2. "On the night in question (7th-8th March)." Was it the 7th or 8th?
We were on passage, I don't even know what day of the week it was. I only know it was defintely toward the end of the passage, but not right at the end. I had no idea we were even in that area at the time. That I only found out tonight when we reviewed the situation.

3. "I was standing a night watch alone." No corroborating witnesses. Exactly. And I was fearing for my sanity. Who'd believe me anyway? I found it hard to believe at the time. And when I got ashore I was focused on fixing my personal problems and catching up on work.

4. "I thought I saw a burning plane." Thought??
I saw something that looked like a plane on fire. That's what I thought it was. Then I thought I must be mad. Especially since I was highly stressed at the time.

5. "It was about half the height of other flights which I had been gazing at during that part of the passage". What "height" was it? Half of what?
It was much lower than the planes which had passed overhead that night. That's one reason I can be sure it was within those few days, since there were no planes passing over when we were in the middle of the ocean. So, if planes normally cruise over oceans at around 30,000 to 40,000 feet, this was approx 10,000 to 20,000 feet. That's my guess. Now I reflect on it, I also think it was at approx the same height that short haul planes cruise down the Arabian Gulf.

6. "I questioned my mind... I thought it was more likely I was going insane." Thats not gonna play well.
But it's the truth. I know that. Who'd have believed me when I had a hard time believing what I was seeing myself. That's why I didn't report it then

7. "At the time we were at the tail end of a very, very harsh passage into the weather which was mountainous, having been flooded badly from the anchor locker and swamped from the companionway so EVERYTHING was soaked, and stays breaking amongst other stuff which just piled up to make me flip. By this time my rucksack was packed, and the divorce planned." Relevancy?
Not relevant. Just explaining to fellow members why I was stressed, and hence doubting my sanity.

8. "I had doubted what I saw and was emotionally in a bad way." The sound of a solid witness? Not really.
I absolutely agree. That's why I didn't bother saying anything.

SS I'm not discounting what you thought you saw or anything you've said. Just be prepared. Very prepared...especially if you are right and you did see MH370. Your world will never be that same if you provide THE clue. Good Luck.
If the authorities are interested, they can ask. But I am sure that the few other witnesses who saw it near Malaysia and Vietnam have quickly much settled back into their life post their 5 minutes of fame.

I am guessing that what I saw won't add much to what they already know, although I don't know much myself about what they know. I repeat, I don't follow the news.

You remember the thread that ran right after it? I glanced at it, said a prayer for Pelagic's friends, considered posting what I saw, then moved on without taking action. Was I right to dismiss what I had seen? I don't know. But I seriously had my head in the sand for a few months after that passage.

[Stendecian]

Originally Posted by chris_gee

What time base are you talking? Malaysian time would presumably make it easier to compare with other reports.

Best to stick with GMT, or ZULU - easy that way, no confusion.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by chris_gee

What time base are you talking? Malaysian time would presumably make it easier to compare with other reports.

The GPS time is automatic, so it would have been UST +7, which is the same zone. That's where we were.

What time I saw it, I have no idea.

My thought process was:
"I should take a photo. But it won't show on my shitty camera, which is probably flat since I haven't charged it since we left"
And "I should make a note of our time and location, in case this really is a burning plane." But I didn't, because I also assumed that if a plane was on fire in the sky, that absolutely everyone would know about it. So I don't have a friggin clue when it was.

See, now that you are all asking me the same questions I have asked myself, I can see much more clearly how ridiculous this is, and feel a little silly. But I reported it anyway. I sent a short email to the address MarkJ posted, and tried to submit a report to Hud's link, but think it failed to go through.