More than 10 years after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared, British aviation expert Simon Hardy proposes a theory that the aircraft’s final descent into an isolated ocean trench was a deliberate act by the pilot.

On March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777, with 239 passengers and crew on board, disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, leading to one of aviation’s most perplexing events.

Hardy, who lent his expertise during the official search but was not an official member of the investigation team led by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, used advanced flight simulators to study the aircraft’s route. Hardy proposes that 53-year-old Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah diverted the plane on purpose, flying it for an additional seven hours to ensure it landed in a remote part of the southern Indian Ocean.

According to Hardy’s theory, Shah’s actions were part of a calculated mass murder-suicide, with the intent to sink the plane in the Geelvinck Fracture Zone—a vast and deep ocean trench known for its seismic activity.

Hardy’s theory is based on several key points, including Shah’s specific requests for extra fuel, and oxygen for the cockpit but not the cabin. This would have allowed him to fly undetected for an extended period, during which the passengers and crew would have lost consciousness due to hypoxia before the plane was finally ditched in the ocean. The limited debris found over the years further supports Hardy’s theory, suggesting that the plane may have been submerged and gradually buried by the trench’s seismic activity.

In a further twist, Hardy pointed out that the aircraft’s flaps were positioned downwards, suggesting a controlled water landing by someone with extensive knowledge of the aircraft’s systems. This fact, along with the lack of substantial debris and the unusual “handshakes” or satellite communications from the plane, aligns with Hardy’s belief that the aircraft was intentionally hidden in one of the world’s most inaccessible locations.

Despite intensive search efforts that concluded in 2017, the main wreckage of MH370 has not been found, leaving numerous questions unanswered. While unproven, Hardy’s theory offers a disturbing possible explanation for the fate of the aircraft and its passengers and crew. It highlights the extreme measures the alleged pilot may have taken to ensure the aircraft’s disappearance remained unsolved.

Over the years, the search for MH370 has moved based on various theories, with Australian authorities and international teams scanning large areas of the ocean floor. The shift of search efforts to areas like the one identified by Hardy shows the ongoing commitment to unraveling this mystery, despite differing views on the aircraft’s final moments.

The disappearance of MH370 has prompted significant changes in aviation safety protocols, including improved tracking and communication systems for aircraft over vast oceans.

The mystery of Flight MH370 continues to intrigue and mystify people worldwide.