Missing MAS plane: Vietnam spots column of smoke off its coastline

[brooklynite]

Source: Straits Times (Singapore)

HO CHI MINH CITY (REUTERS) - Vietnamese rescue planes have spotted a column of smoke off its coastline along with large oil slicks, but it was not clear if they were connected to a missing Malaysia Airlines carrier, a transportation ministry official said on Saturday.

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER plane carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew went missing off the Vietnamese coast early on Saturday as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and was presumed to have crashed.

"Vietnam rescue airplanes saw two oil spills and one smoke column in the area around 250 km west of Tho Chu island, but we can't confirm it's from that Malaysia plane," Pham Quy Tieu, vice minister of transportation, said.

"We sent two maritime boats and some military boats there to clarify, each boat with about 20 people. The oil spills are about 15km long. Those boats will be there in about three to four hours."

Read more: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/missing-mas-plane/story/missing-mas-plane-vietnam-spots-column-smoke-its-coastline-201

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[uppityperson]

1. I hope they find it soon. And figure out what happened soon. For the families and for everyone.

[MADem]

2. If they have a locale, they'll be able to get the black boxes.

The poor families...imagine how they must feel, hearing this sad news.

[go west young man]

3. The scenario look similar to this one by terrorist Ramzi Yousef.

Even including the stolen Italian passport. This time it looks like they may have succeeded. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Airlines_Flight_434

[mainer]

4. Holy cow, that was one heroic landing by the crew

If the planned scenario is the same, then it appears the two fake passengers may accidentally have blown up the plane before they could get off at the next stop.

[uppityperson]

5. Way too soon to speculate. I know we want to know what and why, and hope it can not happen to

us or anyone we know, but way too soon to speculate.

[treestar]

6. That makes the shoe inspection a little more

relevant. Didn't know Yousef was able to hide bomb makings in his shoes and get on.

[Helen Borg]

7. column of smoke?

Go look at the base of the column, perhaps?

[chrisa]

8. My guess - The plane exploded in the air and broke up.

It's probably in a million pieces right now.