instead of probing into why they are searching the malacca strait, as the explanation given for searching the malacca strait was in my opinion vague at best. It just feels like they know something more than they are letting on at the moment.
They are just going on every possible lead, as would anyone. Soon, as the search grid grows, they'll simply draw a circle centered about the last known position and range based on the fuel remaining and search.
Disintegration in flight might be an explanation but no comms? One of the steps in an emergency is to 'call'. But then again, sometimes in the heat of an emergency, pilots may be too engrossed in handling the emergency. For the crash at Bagram, Afghanistan last year, the pilots only called out 'Weight' at the last moment before they crashed.
My best guess now:
Flight experienced some total electrics failure, somehow inclusive of batteries. No possibility of comms (perhaps 777 pilots can share on this possibility). Tried to turn back and some how mishandled due to disorientation and descended rapidly enough to lose radar line of sight/range. Somehow aircraft leveled off at low levels (no radar contact) and tracked in some direction until they crashed. Crash site no where near the last known position.
- one problem with this scenario is total E plus batt failure. Again, not sure the set up on 777 and how likely is this.
- another problem is if they fly low enough to evade radar, then those on the surface should have seen something.
Just trying to connect the dots:
a) loss of radar contact very quickly from FL350
b) no comms
c) no debris field in the region of the last known position