MH 370 Story: 21 people claim they saw an aircraft over Kudahuvadhoo (with video, English subs)

The disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines (MH) 370 is the biggest aviation tragedy this century. More than one year later, what connects the incident to the Maldives is Kudahuvadhoo, where several people claim to have seen an aircraft similar to MH370, flying unusually low, over the island. There are 21 people who bear witness to this sighting.

The stories gained momentum after the discovery of MH370 debris in the Indian Ocean island of Reunion. The fact that the object discovered in Reunion was a part of the plane, adds credibility to Kudahuvadhoo people’s claims.

Sun Team has visited Kudahuvadhoo and interviewed the people making these claims. The team found some people’s versions, including that of Kudahuvadhoo Council President Mohamed Zameer, rather shocking. Zameer said that security forces had requested them not to share MH370 stories with foreign media.

This report includes details of what the people witnessed, and claims that have been kept secret from foreign media.

It was certainly similar to that aircraft

Abdul Rasheed, who claims to have seen the plane, goes to the beach for fishing in the morning and evening every day.

He took Sun Team to the location where he was fishing on that day, and said that he saw a white aircraft, flying unusually low.

“I saw an aircraft flying unusually low, over there. I was looking right at it,” he said.

Describing the plane, he said that it was a white aircraft with a red line close to the windows.

Big, white aircraft

Sun Team met with another eyewitness, Nasriyya Abdulla. She is familiar with planes as she has been abroad for medical treatment many times.

“I was bending down [to do something] when I heard a deafening noise. I straightened myself and looked up, to see a large, white aircraft right above my head,” she said.

Things were different that day

Humam Dhonmanik, a student of Kudahuvadhoo School, was hanging clothes to dry when he heard a loud noise that day. He went outside to find out what it was, and saw an aircraft.

“We often see aircraft flying in this region. But things were different that day,” said Humam.

He said that the difference was that the aircraft was very loud and flying unusually low.

Not a small aircraft, not an air taxi

Another resident of Kudahuvadhoo, Ahmed Ibrahim also saw an aircraft over the island on the same day.

“I went out when I heard a loud noise. A child had seen an aircraft, and found it very funny,” he said.

He said that it was a large aircraft, unlike the ones used as air taxis.

Zuhuriyya Ali also heard a loud noise, and went outside and saw an aircraft.

“I heard a noise and looked up, and saw it. Many similar ‘things’ fly by. But this one looked ‘illegal’. I went out to the street to see if anyone else was there, but I didn’t meet anyone,” Zuhuriyya said.

Zuhuriyya has always wondered if the aircraft she saw was MH370, ever since she heard reports of its disappearance.

People of Kudahuvadhoo “do not tell fake stories”

President of Kudahuvadhoo Council Mohamed Zameer Ismail said that the people of Kudahuvadhoo “do not tell fake stories”, and that it is confirmed that an aircraft flew over the island that morning.

“As the head of Kudahuvadhoo, I want everyone to know that the people of this island do not tell fake stories,” he said.

Zameer said that the police and the military had requested not to share information related to the aircraft with foreign media.

“The reason is that it involves national interest,” he said.

He went on to say that he had been offered large sums of money by foreign media for more information on this issue, but he believes “the nation is bigger”.

He said that Malaysia had not shown any interest in the situation, but he received many calls from China.

Commander of Central Police Division, Inspector of Police Abdulla Naseer, told Sun Online that the police had collected statements from people claiming to have seen an aircraft over Kudahuvadhoo.

A team of the Serious and Organised Crime Department had visited the island for this purpose, said Naseer.

Police have not revealed any details related to these statements.

“Statements were collected and the matter was investigated at that time,” Naseer said.

The question remains whether MH370 could have reached Kudahuvadhoo.

A local pilot said, on the condition of anonymity, that it was possible, as the aircraft would have been carrying sufficient fuel.

Sun Online spoke to another local pilot, who also said that he believed the claims made by the people of Kudahuvadhoo. He said that the exact flight they saw cannot be confirmed, but they did see a large aircraft; and it was possible that MH370 entered Maldivian territory but did not appear on the radar.

Over 21,000 square miles have been searched in the efforts to find MH370, which disappeared with 239 passengers while going from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8 March 2014.

Families of the victims are waiting for answers. Isn’t it time people took the Kudahuvadhoo Theory more seriously in the search for the missing plane?