Pluto on Saturday put together an excellent diary detailing what was known, and, more critically several issues that were still undetermined. Mysteries, seven of them at last count (last diary update).
In scouring through that diary and the comments section attached I did not see reference to the recently concluded press conference led by Malaysian Airlines in Kuala Lumpur. Information stemming from that presser sheds light on certain aspects of this still developing story. Clearly, it helped answer some questions posed in the comment thread to Pluto's diary. The key questions addressed are these:
1 - Do authorities have CCTV footage of the two travelers on false passports?
2 - Are there any credible reports of debris suspected to come from an aircraft.
3 - Where the two travelers the only individuals of concern?
4 - Interpol has a huge database of forged or stolen passports, how then did two false travelers get on the plane (whether or not their presence is mere coincidence, or central to the loss of MH370).
More on all this below the fold.
At the Guardian.uk there was a live blog, terminated at 1:39 PM EST, that detailed the information and presentation of facts, and continuing mysteries stemming from a press conference delivered by Malaysian Airlines. Here are some key points that struck me from this event.
Debris has been found - approximately 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Vietnam. It is not presently confirmed that this is from the aircraft. Notably, this is not the yellow debris earlier reported on that was then dismissed as being aircraft wreckage. This report comes from Vietnam's Civil Aviation Authority. When daylight returns efforts will resume to examine the debris in detail, there are two such pieces, they are characterized as appearing to come from a plane.
Debris thought to be from the missing Malaysian Airlines flight has been found in waters 80 km southwest off Vietnam’s Tho Chu island. Officials are waiting for daylight to examine the discovery by a Vietnamese navy plane, with the debris yet to be confirmed as connected to flight MH370. Lack of concentrated debris means plane may have disintegrated at 35,000 ft, investigators say.
A photograph taken from the air during earlier searches shows one of these pieces of debris - that is shown in this tweet.
The two passports are not the only travel documents of concern to Interpol, but they remain the only ones on which a primary focus has been placed.
Interpol confirmed that at least two stolen passports were used to board the flight at Kuala Lumpur’s international airport.
In the comment thread to Pluto's diary there was discussion of the need for authorities to examine the security footage so the passengers using stolen passports might be identified.
The press conference confirmed that this footage is now in hand.
Interpol had this interesting statement, underscoring how pitifully thin international efforts are in using known data on stolen and forged passports to prevent passage of criminals on flights.
Whilst it is too soon to speculate about any connection between these stolen passports and the missing plane, it is clearly of great concern that any passenger was able to board an international flight using a stolen passport listed in Interpol’s databases
What is important at the moment is to find out what caused Malaysian Airways flight 370 to go missing, and in this regard Interpol is making all needed resources available to help relevant authorities in Malaysia and elsewhere find out what happened. In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, loved ones and friends of the 239 passengers and crew on board.
This is a situation we had hoped never to see. For years Interpol has asked why should countries wait for a tragedy to put prudent security measures in place at borders and boarding gates,.
Now, we have a real case where the world is speculating whether the stolen passport holders were terrorists, while Interpol is asking why only a handful of countries worldwide are taking care to make sure that persons possessing stolen passports are not boarding international flights.
Pluto's diary and the entire comment thread admirably avoids rushing to any conclusion that the fate of MH370 was decided at the hands of terrorists. The Guardian takes a similar (ahem) guarded stance. The owner of Fox News sees no need to avoid writing such preemptive inflammatory epitaphs.
The seven mysteries Pluto posed in the earlier diary remain, but the details from the press conference suggest the authorities may begin shedding light on at least two of the (potentially) important questions. Where is MH370, and were the two travelers actors or spectators in what looks certain to be the tragic loss of the aircraft with all passengers and crew?