Aviation
Malaysian plane: Crew encounter difficulty recovering Black Box
SYDNEY — At the mist of discovering the where about of the missing Malaysia airlines flight 370 in the Indian Ocean, authorities will be miles away from solving one of the biggest mysteries in modern aviation.
International search will be faced with the difficulty of finding the rest of the wreckage including the critical Black Box flight recorders that will help to unveil what caused the Boeing 777-200 jet carrying 230 people to disappear in the early hours of March 8 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.
Ocean conditions in the search area are among the world’s roughest. The hunt for debris was suspended on Tuesday because of gale winds and sea swells at least four meters (13 feet) high that made it too dangerous for aircraft and ships to continue.
“This part of the world, this Southern Ocean, has shipwrecked many, many sailors in our history in Western Australia,” said Australian Defense Minister David Johnston, whose country is leading the search. “There are 20-, 30-meter waves. It is very dangerous.”
Search crews are working on a tight deadline to pinpoint the Malaysia Airlines wreckage because the black boxes, which emit signals that can indicate their location from thousands of yards away, are designed to last about 30 days. The hunt for Flight 370 is already in its third week. So far searchers haven’t positively identified any aircraft wreckage, though several pieces of suspected debris have been spotted by aircrews scanning a remote stretch of ocean, where a number of possible aircraft items were earlier identified by satellite images.
“You probably couldn’t have picked a worse place in the world for it to have gone down,” said Charitha Pattiaratchi, a professor at the University of Western Australia’s Oceans Institute.
Investigators combing the wreckage of an Air France AF.FR -0.14% Airbus A330 jet that plunged into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009 took almost two years to retrieve the plane’s data recorder from the depths. French authorities launched their fourth undersea search in March 2011 after three previous attempts to pinpoint the plane failed.
Still, the salvage vessel that may lead the Indian Ocean search for the Malaysia Airlines flight recorders has a track-record in deep-sea recovery, including retrieving a body from a crashed Black Hawk helicopter in deep waters off the island nation of Fiji in 2007.
The U.S. Navy early Tuesday said it would likely use the Seahorse Standard, a commercial ship chartered to the Australian navy, to tow its black-box locator if a debris field is detected. The sturdy 72-meter-long vessel—equipped with sonar and salvage gear, including a remotely operated underwater vehicle—would also be able to carry any wreckage to port where it could be examined by aviation investigators. The ship is currently in Perth, on Australia’s west coast—at least several days’ voyage from the search area. It carries a crew of up to 60 and can remain at sea for 100 days at a time.
In March 2007, the Seahorse Standard recovered the body of an airman from an Australian Black Hawk helicopter in about 3,000 meters of water—almost five months after it crashed while on standby to evacuate Australian citizens from Fiji in the event of a military coup. Australia had used U.S. salvage equipment to pinpoint the location of the helicopter’s black box several months earlier.
The U.S. Navy said its locator, towed behind a ship, was used to help find the black box from Air France Flight 447, which was en route to Paris from Rio de Janeiro when it crashed. Should a debris field for Flight 370 be located, the Navy said it plans to deploy an underwater unmanned vehicle, known as a Bluefin 21, to help with the search. The vehicle can operate for 25 hours and descend nearly 15,000 feet.
The Seahorse Standard, owned by Sydney-based DMS Maritime Pty Ltd., has also carried out work in the oil and gas industry. The company declined to comment on the search Tuesday. The ship’s captain couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Malaysia’s defense minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, later Tuesday suggested the black box locator would be fitted to Ocean Shield, which was expected to dock in Perth later in the week and could be in the search area by April 5.
The 6,500 metric ton Ocean Shield was bought by Australia’s navy in 2012 to be used to transport troops and supplies on humanitarian and disaster relief missions. The ship has a helicopter landing pad and has accommodation for up to 100 people.
Mr. Hishammuddin said the area being searched for debris was being narrowed down using satellite surveillance, analysis of radar data and the work of crews on ships and plans
An Air Peace flight from Lagos to Port Harcourt has suffered a disruption, after the aircraft was affected by a bird strike on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
The airline made the disclosure on Thursday in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Osifo-Whiskey Efe.
He added that the incident necessitated safety checks on the affected aircraft and the deployment of another aircraft to convey passengers on subsequent flights.
ALSO READ: Rivers’ CJ Declines Setting Up Panel for Fubara’s Impeachment
“We deeply empathise with passengers affected by this unforeseen incident and are working diligently to minimise disruptions,” Efe said.
The latest incident adds to the growing challenge of bird strikes faced by local airlines.
In December 2025, Air Peace disclosed that it recorded 49 bird strikes across Nigeria between January and September, stressing that even a single strike could ground an aircraft for weeks.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Allen Onyema, had said on Arise TV that bird strikes constituted a major operational challenge, often leading to costly repairs and serious disruptions to flight schedules.
“One bird strike could cripple your aircraft for the next month. At that moment, there is no two ways about it. These bird strikes often lead to costly delays and serious disruptions in flight schedules,” he said.
He added that losses from such incidents compound other challenges facing Nigerian airlines, including heavy taxation and operational constraints.
With the firm belief that it is both sadistic and absolutely despicable, the recently announced outrageous hike in airfares to South East from Abuja to Lagos for Yuletide of 2025 by over 131 percent by Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines, the owners have been asked to immediately have a rethink and review backward these harsh, toxic and unfriendly airfares targeting Igbo passengers exclusively.
Making the charge to the chairmen of Air Peace and United Nigeria airlines, Mr. Allen Ugochukwu and Mr. Obiora Okonkwo, the prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) expressed anger that these businesses whose proprietors are Igbo by birth are fond of making it so difficult for hundreds of thousands of Igbo passengers residing outside of the South-East to travel home on Christmas festivities.
The rights group say that for many years now, because Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines are monopolies and then Igbos have the tradition exclusively in Nigeria of going home to South East from all over the globe during Yuletides, these few airlines have decidedly fixed toxic ticketing airfares for Igbos whereas northerners who also travel during their religious festivities of salah are not subjected to such exploitative treatments.
The HURIWA accused the two airlines of price fixing, which is anti-competition just as the Rights group said it is giving these two Igbo-hating airlines to review backward their toxic and discriminatory airfares within ten working days from today or it will petition the federal government publicly funding consumer rights body[Federal Competition and Consumer Rights Commission) in Abuja.
The HURIWA wonders if these Igbo owners of private airlines known for making their planes available to government for free during emergencies are in a conspiratorial plots with haters of Igbo land who are unhappy at the convivial and happy atmospheres in the South East during Yuletide, just as the rights group has appealed to Igbo governors to immediately intervene and urge Mr. Allen Ugochukwu and Mr Obiora Okonkwo to treat the Igbo just as they treat for instance northern Muslims who also migrate home to northern Nigeria from around the globe during their Muslim festivities because what is good for the goose, is good for the gander.
The HURIWA said that if Air Peace Airlines have gotten involved in many humanitarian efforts of airlifting Nigerians from outside of our shores for free, it becomes of the Airline ought not to maltreat their clients of Igbo extraction.
The HURIWA quoted from the business official website of Air Peace in which it described its latest humanitarian effort to be an addition to a growing list of interventions by Dr. Allen Onyema and Air Peace.
Quoting Air Peace website, HURIWA stated that Air Peace said thus: “In 2019, the airline airlifted 503 Nigerians free of charge from South Africa amidst xenophobic attacks. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Air Peace conducted multiple repatriation flights. In 2022, the airline flew Nigerian evacuees out of war-torn Ukraine. In May 2023, Dr. Onyema again deployed Air Peace aircraft to evacuate 277 stranded Nigerians from Sudan.
As the rescued women prepare to begin a new chapter, supported by medical care and reintegration efforts, one truth stands out: Air Peace is more than just an airline — it is a bridge of hope for Nigerians in crisis, and a national symbol of empathy, courage and service,” HURIWA conclusively quoted Air Peace.
The HURIWA therefore strongly condemns the two airlines for hiking and fixing unaffordable airfares indiscriminately against Igbo passengers, even as the festive season draws near, Air Peace and United Nigeria Airlines have raised their return ticket fares to N677,000, a move that could add financial strain on travellers. The rise in airfares reflects the high demand expected during the holiday rush.
Key Points
Air Peace and United Nigeria increase return ticket fares to N677,000 for the yuletide season.
Airfares on routes to the South-East, including Enugu and Anambra, experience the highest surge.
Ibom Air offers comparatively cheaper tickets, with return fares at N381,600.
Air Peace’s one-way fare for December to January peaks at N350,500.
United Nigeria will also charge N350,500 for select routes between December 11 and the end of the year.
Northern routes, including Lagos-Kano, face smaller increases, with fares starting from N106,900.
Experts predict even higher airfares, with one-way tickets possibly reaching N500,000.
The rise in flight prices signals the start of a challenging holiday travel season, with airfares higher than usual due to increased demand. Travelers must be prepared for the surge, with some routes seeing even higher fare projections.
ALSO READ: NNPCL, Partners Ink 20-year 1.29bscf/d Feedgas Supply Deals
The HURIWA is hereby warning the two airlines to withdraw their price fixing malpractices against Igbos or else the Rights group would seek justice and redress for the millions of Igbos who would return home for the 2025 Yuletide from the Federal Competition and Consumer Rights Commission and the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria. The HURIWA threatened to drag the two airlines to the Nigerian President through the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Transportation.
An Abuja-Accra flight experienced technical difficulties mid-air on Friday, forcing it to return to Abuja, shortly after departure.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Board (NSIB) made the disclosure in a statement, adding that it has launched investigation into what it described as a serious accident.
Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji stated that preliminary investigations revealed the aircraft experienced an engine number two indication issue.
ALSO READ: BREAKING: Kyari Oversees NNPC Ltd’s Transparent Recruitment Aptitude Test
It was gathered that the aircraft, with registration number 5NKAL which was operating a flight from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja (DNAA), to Kotoka International Airport, Accra (DGAA).
She explained that four persons were onboard when the incident occurred. The crew immediately requested for a diversion back to Abuja due to the engine indication.
Oladeji added that the crew managed to safely land the aircraft at Abuja Airport at 18:16 UTC.
There were no injuries reported, and all individuals on board are safe.
WHO Releases Alarming Casualty Figures From US‑Israel‑Iran Conflict
PDP’s Festering Crisis Chases Tambuwal to ADC
$200/barrel Price Likely as Iran Threatens Oil Ships
2026 Poll: Osun Ndigbo Backs Adeleke’s Second-Term Bid
NGX Group, IFC, CSCS and WIMBIZ Convene Leaders to Advance Gender Equality at 2026 Ring the Bell Ceremony
Adeleke on Why he Deserves Second Term
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Things To Know About Threads, Zuckerberg’s Twitter-like App
