Editing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappearance theories (section)

===Criticism and response===
Conspiracy-focused internet sites claim that the official statement that the plane crashed into the Indian Ocean is "a blatant cover-up."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eyeopening.info/2014/03/25/malaysia-airlines-flight-370-now-clearly-government-cover-evidence-contradicts-official-story/|title=Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 Now Clearly A Government Cover-Up: All Evidence Contradicts Official Story|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213171611/http://www.eyeopening.info/2014/03/25/malaysia-airlines-flight-370-now-clearly-government-cover-evidence-contradicts-official-story/|archive-date=13 December 2014|access-date=8 December 2014}}</ref> They note that a [[Boeing 777]] does not have the structural integrity to survive crashing into the ocean, and that it would be comparable to hitting a concrete wall at [[terminal velocity]]. If Flight 370 hit the ocean, they say, it would have been broken into tens of thousands of pieces, many of which float on water (such as the seat cushions) and would be seen washing up on regional shores or easily spotted by search teams.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/asia/9864556/MH370-Distrust-breeds-conspiracy-theories | title=MH370: Distrust breeds conspiracy theories | work=[[Stuff.co.nz]] | date=25 March 2014| access-date=24 March 2014| author=Wen, Philip}}</ref> Those criticisms diminished after several pieces of the aircraft were positively identified in the years after its disappearance.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scruton |first1=Paul |title=Missing flight MH370 – a visual guide to the parts and debris found so far |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2017/jan/17/missing-flight-mh370-a-visual-guide-to-the-parts-and-debris-found-so-far |website=The Guardian|access-date=15 May 2019}}</ref>

Harvard professor [[Cass Sunstein]] noted that the conflicting information initially released by the Malaysian government explains the interest in alternative theories.<ref name="wsj-2014-03-20">{{cite web | url=https://www.wsj.com/video/flight-mh370-why-are-conspiracy-theories-seductive/BA8BBA6E-AB59-4761-933E-D672BCC0F052.html | title=Flight MH370: Why Are Conspiracy Theories Seductive? | work=Wall Street Journal | date=20 March 2014| access-date=26 March 2014}}</ref> Sunstein, who has written on the topic, argued in an interview with ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' on 20 March 2014 that conspiracy theories in general often are born out of horrific and disastrous situations because such events make people angry, fearful and looking for a "target".<ref name="wsj-2014-03-20"/>

David Soucie, a former FAA inspector, has said that the theories that have been put forth in this matter are important when there is a lack of knowledge, as the theories and notions help us to consider various possibilities. On 26 March 2014, he stated on [[CNN]]: <blockquote>In an accident investigation, it's a critical part to come up with theories. Especially right now when we don't have anything. We don't have anything tangible. We don't have something to say, hey, yes—because we don't know where that airplane is and we need to find out why. If you take one theory, the airplane would be where we're looking at right now. If you take another theory, where there was nefarious intent, they're trying to avoid radars, the airplane could be somewhere else. If you say it was—whatever it is, you've got to use these theories, weigh them against the facts so you know which one to go to.<ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1403/26/pmt.01.html CNN Transcripts] – Piers Morgan Live – 26 March 2014. Retrieved 28 March 2014.</ref></blockquote>

Tim Black, deputy editor of ''[[Spiked (magazine)|Spiked]]'', wrote: &nbsp;"...it's in this darkness, this near absence of knowledge [about MH370], that speculation has flourished,"<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/flight-mh370-conspiracy-theorists-adore-a-vacuum/14812 | title=MH370: conspiracy theorists adore a vacuum | work=Spiked | date=19 March 2014 | access-date=25 March 2014 | author=Black, Tim | archive-date=25 July 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725063206/http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/flight-mh370-conspiracy-theorists-adore-a-vacuum/14812 | url-status=dead }}</ref> and an editorial in the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' not only stated that "conspiracy theories fill a vacuum when facts are scarce," but also urged governments to search for the plane to debunk these theories and give victims' family members peace of mind.<ref name=suntimes2014>{{cite web | url=http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/26436099-474/conspiracy-theories-dont-help-to-understand-cause-of-malaysian-jets-disappearance.html | title=Conspiracy theories don't help to understand cause of Malaysian jet's disappearance | work=Chicago Sun-Times | date=26 March 2014 | access-date=27 March 2014 | archive-date=15 October 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015085438/http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/26436099-474/conspiracy-theories-dont-help-to-understand-cause-of-malaysian-jets-disappearance.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The common hypothesis, cited also here, that MH370 avoided Indonesian radar is based only on a statement that the plane was not observed by Indonesia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/untrue-that-mh370-avoided-indonesian-radar-hishammuddin-says |title='Untrue' that MH370 avoided Indonesian radar, Hishammuddin says- Malaysia- The Malay Mail Online |author=Clara Chooi |newspaper=The Malay Mail Online |date=7 April 2014 |access-date=24 April 2014}}</ref>