Malaysia jet sent 'pings' after going missing, sources say

[FarCenter]

(Reuters) - Satellites picked up faint electronic pulses from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 after it went missing on Saturday, but the signals gave no information about where the stray jet was heading and little else about its fate, two sources close to the investigation said on Thursday.

But the "pings" indicated its maintenance troubleshooting systems were switched on and ready to communicate with satellites, showing the aircraft, with 239 people on board, was at least capable of communicating after losing touch with air traffic controllers.

The system transmits such pings about once an hour, according to the sources, who said five or six were heard. However, the pings alone are not proof that the plane was in the air or on the ground, the sources said.

...

The new information about signals heard by satellites shed little light on the mystery of what happened to the plane, whether it was a technical failure, a hijacking or another kind of incident on board.

While the troubleshooting systems were functioning, no data links were opened, the sources said, because the companies involved had not subscribed to that level of service from the satellite operator, the sources said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/13/us-malaysiaairlines-flight-idUSBREA2701720140313

[longship]

1. A single, anonymous source, not sources.

I believe that as much as I do the other anonymously sourced reports on MH370. That is, not at all.

This is being handled very poorly, under a veil of secrecy, giving rise to people making shit up.

It's a big fat clusterfuck.

[Agschmid]

2. For some reason I give this a bit more credence.

Can't really give you a "why"...

[longship]

3. A single, anonymous source.

Nobody is going on the record.

Plus, the claim is just not credible. There was likely not enough fuel on board for a flight of that duration. It's likely utter made up bullshit.

I will not believe any report on MH370 until they find the wreckage. After this much time, there is little way that it did not crash someplace. You cannot land a 777 just anywhere.

[Agschmid]

5. Oh yah I don't think it landed... it feels much more Helios to me.

But you are right we won't know until we know, if ever.

[xfundy]

4. I hope James Bond is working on this case.

Yes, it is that mysterious.