As a one time PPL and regular SLF, I have not posted up to now, as I have no authority to discuss the matters at hand. Some of the technical input from the professionals on the site has, however, been incredible...and testimony to their knowledge.
So I'm not about to begin speculation, rather ask one question, and pose another. Firstly, if they are recovered, will the on board recorders offer any useful data? I ask this as I understand (maybe wrongly) that they overwrite after some time.
Secondly, given that it has taken (at least publicly) two weeks for the authorities to locate MH370, is now the time to mandate real-time location transmission? Had this been available for MH370, the military could have intercepted the aircraft in the early stages of their deviation from flightplan...if not to prevent anything, at least to understand it.
Whatever happened, I hope the poor souls on board were unaware of their fate.