we need to know more about why we are cut out of the process during such peaks
Not sure what your comment above means?
In regards to the load on the server(s), I would assume that prior precedents wouldn't have prepared for this.
With nearly 7K users online at the moment, over 3M hits on the MH370 thread, the Database and the Front End are taking a bit of a hit.
The Mods are the thankless, unseen VOLUNTEERS that are trying to keep things on topic, weed out the crazy and stop MULTIPLE posts of the same info.
To be fair, I think the site has coped extremely well all considered.
If I was the forum admin, I would be putting a donation link somewhere on the site to allow those of us that think it's well worth it, put some cash towards the upkeep of the site and maybe allow some scalability (either with load balancing) or upgrades.