Vietnam points to sudden interference or incident in Malaysian plane

HANOI -- There must have been a sudden interference or incident in Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which has been missing for more than 40 hours with no distress call or other signs of trouble, as technically, it is almost impossible for a plane to lose contact by itself, said Vietnamese aviation insiders.

Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam held in capital Hanoi on Sunday an urgent meeting to assess the missing plane in presumed southern Vietnam's Tho Chu Island, Vietnam's Ministry of Transport (MoT) website reported.

Dinh Viet Tuan, Captain of Boeing 777-200, Deputy Director Safety Division under Vietnam Aviation Corporation said at the meeting that Boeing 777-200 is the plane produced for flying in the most extreme weather while the weather around Tho Chu Island area is regarded as being favorable.

Even in case that both two engines of the airliner stops working, the plane can still have 20 minutes flying at hundred-of- kilometer per hour speed and absolutely can send emergency signal, reporting flight situation and receiving the best instructions.

The case of fires leading to urgent landing or fire in the cockpit is hardly ever happening as the plane was made under very modern technology with high safety, Tuan assessed.

Many other experts agreed with Tuan at the meeting as saying that the incident is extremely rare as the plane lost signal, contact as well as not leaving any trace, according to MoT.

Hoang Viet Quang, a representative from Vietnam's Ministry of Defense said at the meeting that the earlier-found oil slicks have drifted 80 kilometers southwest. The oil was brought for chemical test. If it is not aircraft petroleum or oil, Vietnam's rescue team will stop working on that direction.

Meanwhile, the ministry has ordered all fishing boats around the area to cooperate in searching any suspicious items floating, said Quang.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Transport Pham Quy Tieu said at the meeting that all organizations in the country's aviation sector are required to tighten disciplines on aviation safety to closely control passengers and flying zones, said MoT website.

The Boeing 777-200 aircraft operated by Malaysia Airlines left Kuala Lumpur International Airport for Beijing at 12:41 a.m. Saturday. The plane was last heard from at around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

The aircraft was carrying 12 Malaysian flight crew and 227 passengers including 154 Chinese.