Did a forgotten witness see Malaysia Airlines MH370 burning over the South China Sea?

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 remains aviation's most baffling and deadliest unsolved case. The Boeing 777 disappearance occurred on March 8, 2014, with 239 people aboard. It vanished while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The official search focused on the Southern Indian Ocean search area, based on satellite data known as the seventh arc.

The Forgotten Witness Account

Oil rig worker Mike McKay claims he saw the aircraft on fire. McKay was working on the Songa Mercur oil rig off the coast of Vietnam. He was enjoying a cigarette during a break on the night of the disappearance. McKay, 57, maintained he saw an aircraft ablaze at high altitude. He reported seeing the plane burning for 10-15 seconds. The sighting was at a compass bearing of 265 to 275 degrees from his location. This position was perpendicular to the normal flight path.

McKay sent a confidential email to his superiors describing his observation. The email was later leaked to the media. He stated he believed he saw the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 come down. The timing of the sighting seemed right. Following his alert, Vietnamese authorities scrambled aircraft to search the area. McKay later lost his job after the email became public. He has since been treated as a credible witness by New Zealand Police.

Conflict with Official Data

McKay's sighting places the potential crash site in the South China Sea. This location directly conflicts with the official search area. The official area is thousands of miles away, centered on the seventh arc satellite data. Experts noted the distance from the Songa Mercur to the plane's last known radar position (IGARI) was over 300 nautical miles. This distance made visual confirmation of a plane at cruising altitude unlikely.

However, McKay questioned the accepted route the plane took. He asked how the flight returned across the Malay Peninsula unnoticed. He also questioned the six-day delay in releasing primary radar data. McKay believes the break-up could be back in the South China Sea. He suggests it could also be immediately south of Sumatra.

Debris Evidence and Ongoing Search

The discovery of debris has strongly supported the Southern Indian Ocean search theory. A flaperon from the Boeing 777 was found on Réunion Island in July 2015. Other confirmed pieces of debris have washed ashore in Mauritius and Tanzania. These findings are consistent with drift models from the Southern Indian Ocean. The debris analysis, including the flaperon, is crucial. McKay and others have called for a full metal stress report on the part found. This would help determine how the plane broke up. Some debris showed signs of heat exposure. Authorities, however, attributed dark marks to resin, not fire.

Despite the physical evidence, the main wreckage remains unfound. The Ocean Infinity search mission resumed its efforts. The marine robotics company restarted searching on December 30, 2025. This is part of a 55-day operational window authorized by Malaysia's Transport Ministry. The Armada 86 05 vessel is currently scanning the area. As of a January 2026 update, no significant discovery has been made. The renewed search highlights the enduring mystery. It also shows the commitment to locating the aircraft. This effort is vital for the families of the 239 people lost. The search continues to be aviation's deadliest unsolved case.

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