"nestork" wrote in message

stuff snipped

If the pilots turned the transponders off, what could their motive have
been?

To avoid being tracked. If they were going to ditch, so what if the
transponders on or off? But if they wanted to take that plane to one of the
600 plus airstrips within range, turning off the transponder was a necessary
step. The lack of anyone claiming responsibility hints that there's another
shoe waiting to drop here. Perhaps a ransoming of the passengers, a release
of Chinese political prisoners, etc.

I think we can guess that whatever is involved, it concerns the Chinese
because even though it was a Malaysian plane, it was primarily filled with
Chinese. I am wondering if a number of the people on the plane traveling
with supposedly valid passports weren't who they purported to be. I think
it's possible this is a ransom attempt of some kind that may still play out
or ended badly prematurely. That would imply enough associates to control
nearly 200 people.

--
Bobby G.