SOME eight years ago, on 8 March 2014, a Boeing 777 passenger plane en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur went missing, never to be seen again. Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 was reported to have lost contact with air traffic control some two hours of flight after leaving Kuala Lumpur for Beijing, China. The flight was carrying 239 people on board. Till today, its whereabouts remain a mystery.
I was working in Singapore back then and was stunned by the hugely shocking news coupled with a sense of confusion and bewilderment. Indeed, it was an unprecedented tragedy and is still a continuing one. With the cause not accounted for plus the great loss of lives and the even greater anguish, sadness and pain to the families and loved ones of all those on board that fateful flight there are no words to describe the true impact. Our hearts go out to all of them.
I would like to hasten my heartfelt sympathies to all those who have suffered such untold pain and anguish following the incident. May they find comfort and closure in the tender mercies of the Almighty God, the fountain of mercies, blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, love, kindnesses, consolation, support and spiritual gifts.
Without a doubt, the inexplicable disappearance of MH370 in 2014 is one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history. There are many questions still left unanswered. Despite the advance in technology, satellite communication and remote observation capabilities, and the searches and efforts over the years – by scientists, journalists and others who have tried looking for answers and explanations as to how a massive Boeing 777 could have vanished just like that, and why, there are still no answers forthcoming. Today, we are no closer to the truth about what happened on that day.
Fast forward from March 8 on the same month of March 2014, to an early Monday morning, just past the midnight hour, on 24 March 2014 – a mere 16 days after the disappearance of MH370 – another aircraft was cruising along the same route, and at approximately about the same location as MH370, when something dramatic happened onboard.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH066 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul when it suffered a power failure in mid-flight. The whole cabin suddenly turned pitch-dark, throwing a sense of panic and shockwaves on board as the passengers were caught by surprise. Till then, there was no turbulence or anything out of the ordinary to indicate that something was wrong. It seemed like any normal flight and the incident happened not long after the in-flight dinner was over, and the passengers were getting ready to sleep for the remainder of the journey.
The pilot instantly came on the intercom to explain what was happening – that the main generator was down but the backup or auxiliary generator will kick in to provide the needed power. I recall the sense of apprehension felt by everyone on board. There was a full moon in the sky that night and it was shining outside. Her light was very reassuring in the tense and darkened atmosphere in the cabin.
Those moments of sudden darkness felt like ages, and the strange and fearful thoughts flashed through the mind as the inevitable question popped up in our minds – “Oh no, not again. Is it happening, the same thing that happened on the Boeing MH370?” Thank God, and to the passengers’ relief, the lights came back on when the auxiliary power unit kicked in as a backup. I know, and those thoughts have crossed my mind because I was on board that flight and was seated near the right window seat in the business class.
I was making my journey for a meeting with my big boss on the sides of the 2014 Gastech Conference in Seoul, South Korea. Two days earlier, I have taken a flight from Singapore, where I was working, to Kuala Lumpur on 22 March to catch this flight to Seoul. A few days before I left Singapore, whilst in my office at the Ocean Financial Centre, my secretary had asked me when she was making the flight bookings, why did I choose to fly to Kuala Lumpur en route to Seoul when I could easily fly direct from Singapore. My simple answer to her was “I like flying Malaysia Airlines!”
After flying for a while, the pilot, who was a calm and composed professional, announced that we have to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport. Since we were offshore Vietnam, I imagined that we would be landing at Hanoi airport. But then the pilot announced that the nearest airport was some thirty minutes flying distance away, in Hong Kong. That was the longest 30 minutes that I have experienced, and I am certain it was the same for the other passengers.
What followed was a briefing by the crew on the emergency procedures and since we were flying over water, everyone was asked to get their floatation device from under their seats and to wear them. Specific and clear instructions were given on how to activate the device with a caution that the device should only be activated when we were outside the aircraft, presumably after the plane has ditched and passengers have exited the plane.
There was silence throughout the plane, save for the voice of the crew giving instructions. It was a harrowing experience with myriad thoughts and scenarios passing through the mind. I decided to peek through the windows next to my seat and took a long look at the moon. I told myself this could be the last time I will gaze upon the moon, and it had better be a good one!
The next moment, I was rudely awakened from my reverie by a loud explosive sound in the business class cabin, just a few seats away on my left. Everyone’s focus was thrown in the direction of the sound, expecting that the worst has happened. One of the passengers, probably in panic and fear, had accidentally activated his life vest. One could see all the dagger-like arrows shooting out to him from everyone’s eyes as the poor guy who was sitting in the middle row of the business class section sat impassively.
Despite that harrowing experience due to an electricity-generator malfunction onboard, MH 066 managed to make an emergency landing in Hong Kong early in the morning on 24 March 2014. The Malaysia Airlines statement issued following the incident the next day said the flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Hong Kong after an electrical generator failed on the two-year-old jet aircraft. It added that all 271 passengers on Flight MH066, an Airbus 330-300, were unhurt and had been transferred to other carriers.
Malaysian Airlines said the Airbus A330-300 left the Malaysian capital at 11.37 pm on Sunday and was due at Incheon airport about six hours later. But Flight MH066 was forced to land in Hong Kong at 2.53 am due to an “inoperative aircraft generator which supplies normal electrical power”.
The incident was quickly reported on the wires and was seen by my secretary. While I was making arrangements at the Hong Kong AirPort for my onward journey via Air India to Seoul, she called me and asked if I would like to change my return flight to a direct flight on Singapore Airlines from Seoul to Singapore. I told her I would still stick to flying Malaysia Airlines, as originally planned, from Seoul back to Kuala Lumpur. She must have thought I was nuts or that this guy is so loyal to his National airlines. Yes, we Malaysians are loyal to our National airline. I would like to think so.
Needless to say, I missed my appointment to meet the boss in Seoul the day I was originally supposed to arrive but no real harm was done. The Conference was a success.
At breakfast after landing in Seoul, while enjoying a simple traditional Korean meal of Bulgogi at The Ritz Carlton, Seoul I had some quiet time to reflect on the ordeal the previous night. All I could think of was I must be grateful despite everything.
In conclusion, these facts and parallels are food for thought: Two flights for the same Airlines flying on an identical route on two different planes, a Boeing 777 and an Airbus A330-300, and only 16 days apart in March 2014, on almost the same location offshore Vietnam, each carrying more than 200 passengers, and both scheduled for an overnight flight to their respective destinations in North-East Asia are rather strange parallels and coincidences.
It’s hard to decipher and understand, let alone explain the chain of events. Just 16 days after the still inexplicable disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, we experienced this emergency on MH066 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul. It was also very difficult to disassociate what happened to MH307 from the situation we were encountering on Flight MH066. The previous incident was still fresh in every passenger’s mind.
On Flight Safety:
Since you only have a 1 in 9,821 chance of dying from an air and space transport incident, flying is one of the safest forms of transportation.
It is precise because of those safety measures that air travel is the safest mode of transportation. Many of the safety measures came about because of accidents and incidents – often fatal, which prompted designers and aviation regulatory agencies to put rules and regulations into place to make flying much safer. The aforesaid is some useful information I have read on the subject of flight safety. Hope it’s reassuring.
Tweeter Posting:
@medan_maya: Thanks to the captain and crew of MH66 for the professional manner in diverting for an emergency landing at Hong Kong Airport today. Phew! I was on the flight. Am now safely in Seoul, courtesy of AI (Indian Air).
I saw His hand just last night;
It was merciful, full of love,
In His hands, we are safe, no matter how dark the night.
~ Maya_Green, reflection
