area of alleged crash
Nobody so far (even now it occurs with wreckage spotted) has brought up the possibility that the aircraft may have actually tried to return due to WX + malfunctions and made a turn. Someone in the forum mentioned that that would be his first option in a situation with heavy WX and trouble on board - to get down in a controlled fashion at the closest runway asap. And this would have been behind them. That would mean that everybody seems to be concentrating at the wrong area and the actual plane might be many many miles away...?
Just a thought.
Diclosure: not working in the airline industry (but a scientist/physician)