Still puzzled by the lack of detection by radar. Malaysia has a new very sensitive radar system, procured among other thingsfor the purpose of detecting intrustions by the Singaporean Air Force:
the Defence Ministry admitted that between 2008 and mid-2011, there were a total of 2,508 Malaysian airspace intrusions by the Singaporean air force
Air Force caught napping, MH370 could have been saved | FZ : Malaysia News - General, Political, National, Business, World
If they were able to detect airspace instrusions by medium sized fighter aircraft, presumably in real time, why would they not detect the B777?
Does Malaysia lack active real-time air defences?
Perhaps similar gaps exist in the radar systems of other countries - nothing is 100% perfect after all.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/19/wo...path.html?_r=0
Which means that it may make sense to search the northern route.