The Elusive MH370: Richard Godfrey’s Discovery

A retired British engineer Richard Godfrey believes he has pinpointed the crash site of the mysterious Malaysia Airlines plane which vanished in 2014, but his claims remain unverified.

MH370: A Mysterious Flight

The Boeing 777-200ER departed from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people on board on March 8, 2014. Just 40 minutes into what should have been a six-hour flight to Beijing, the plane diverted from its scheduled route and flew towards the southern Indian Ocean before vanishing.

Richard Godfrey's Claims

Richard Godfrey, a 71-year-old aerospace engineer, believes he has located the exact resting place of the doomed jet on the sea bed approximately 1200 miles west of Perth, Western Australia. He also posited a theory as to how the aircraft ended up there.

A Political Motive

Godfrey's theory suggests that Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the pilot, had a political motive. He told The Times that his "current view is that the captain hijacked and diverted his own plane." Godfrey discovered that at one point during the flight, the aircraft's pilot was following a route that he had plotted on a flight simulator found at his home.

The 22-Minute Holding Pattern

A crucial element in Godfrey's theory is a 22-minute holding pattern that the aircraft flew. Captain Shah was a supporter of the Malaysian opposition and an acquaintance of its leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was sentenced to five years in jail on sodomy charges. Godfrey speculated that Zaharie may have attempted to negotiate Anwar's release during the 22 minutes of circling. If something went wrong with the negotiations, Captain Zaharie may have flown to the most remote part of the southern Indian Ocean.

Verification and Speculation

Although Godfrey acknowledged he has "no evidence" and discussions of the pilot's motive are merely "speculation," he believes there is still information being withheld, possibly by the Malaysian government.

Godfrey's Investigation

Godfrey's theory is based on eight years of laborious investigation. He spent seven years plodding away, studying satellite communications, long-range radio signals, oceanic drift, underwater search technology, and flight simulations. His area of belief now is a 40 nautical mile radius, far smaller than previous search areas.

Hope for Closure

Godfrey hopes his report will provide closure to the families of the next of kin and answers to the flying public and the aviation industry on exactly what happened with MH370 and how to prevent a recurrence of this tragedy in the future.

Keywords: MH370, Richard Godfrey, Flight Simulations