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Search Grounded; Debris Spotted; Pilots of Flight 370; Satellite Photos; Malaysia's Other Plane Crash Mystery

Aired March 27, 2014 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, let's stay on the mystery, shall we? Lots of new pictures to show you today. Hi there. I'm Brooke Baldwin. Thank you so much for being with me here.

We're going to begin here with some news just into CNN in the search for Flight 370. Japan is now saying its satellites have found precisely 10 objects floating in the southern Indian Ocean. And these are big objects as well. One reportedly we're hearing, some 26 feet long, 13 feet wide. This news coming just hours after the release of these pictures, new satellite images showing objects, 300 of them. This is the biggest number we have heard. This was snapped by a Thai satellite Monday. And I look at these. I see specks. Experts look at these and they say they're shiny. That could be significant.

Adding to the intrigue, they were seen just 125 miles from the area where the French satellite spotted some 100 objects. So lots of pictures, lots of possible clues here. But the real question is this, could all of these sightings be the same debris field moving quickly with currents in the rough Indian Ocean. That's one question. And here next is, despite all these new leads, the task of actually getting to these objects is getting even tougher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ADAM SCHANTZ, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, U.S. NAVY: We were informed the weather was zero visibility with severe turbulence and severe icing. So fairly high risk flying conditions. And with the visibility the way it is, very low probability of seeing anything out there at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: So, because of that, search planes have been grounded, forced to return early from this search zone because of these just brutal weather conditions. So let's go straight to Perth, to Australia, 2:00 in the morning there, here he is, Will Ripley, up live for us.

And so, Will, we know that this Navy lieutenant commander he said aircrews who were out there earlier, his words, were the crews were beaten up by the rough conditions. How will it be in a couple of hours from now?

WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know that's the -- that's the million dollar question, Brooke. We just don't know. That's how volatile this section of the Indian Ocean is about 1,700 miles southwest of Perth. I mean here the wind is picking up. It's early fall in this part of the world. Things are starting to cool down. But out there over the ocean, we're talking about extreme cold. We're also talking about conditions where you could have great visibility one minute, like the search planes saw. There were eight planes up over the area. They thought the weather conditions were going to be pretty good. Then all of a sudden things got ugly in a very, very quick manner where you had gale force winds, the planes were getting thrown around, there was ice forming on the wings and they had to turn around for their own safety, not to mention the fact they couldn't see anything. And the whole point of this search is visual search is to be able to look at the water and scan and look for debris.

Same problem facing the ships that are out there riding out this storm. They're not able to see much either. So until we get some better visibility, our hands are really tied here. We know that the satellites you're seeing, these potential debris fields or maybe one big debris field, but we can't get to it and that's a problem.

BALDWIN: Let's take a listen to what they're saying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. CMDR. ADAM SCHANTZ, HEADS PRA SEARCH FOR FLIGHT 370: We were informed the weather was zero visibility with severe turbulence and severe icing. So fairly high risk flying conditions. And with the visibility the way it is, very low probability of seeing anything out there at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: All right, so that's the news here as far as the conditions. Hopefully it's better, as you pointed out, Will, in a couple of hours.

But what about -- we know standard operating procedure that the families of these passengers have been offered, you know, a trip to Perth, where you are, if and when they start finding this debris. But what about the Malaysian government? Will they be sending a delegation there?

RIPLEY: You know, we have learned now that there is a high level delegation from the Malaysian government that will be heading here soon. We don't know exactly when. We plan on stopping by the consulate office in Perth to try to get some answers about when they're going to be here. But we know these are high ranking government officials, military officials, along with the Malaysian Airlines representatives, finally going to be here in person. They've been communicating a lot over the phone, via the Internet, passing information, sharing information. But now, as we get closer, we hope to find something, they're going to be here to help coordinate the efforts on the ground and to help also coordinate things when families start arriving here as well, if there is confirmed wreckage.

BALDWIN: OK. Will Ripley, thank you so much, in Perth.

And as we talked about on these pictures here, remember in the handful now of debris sightings, not a single piece has been found, at least visually, right? Tangible pieces. Not a single piece has been verified as part of Flight 370. But again, 300 pieces reported today, 122 pieces reported Wednesday. Is this making the case that searchers are indeed in the right area? Let's talk about this with conservation biologist and ocean debris specialist Nick Mallos.

So, Nick, welcome back here. And just out of the gate, I mean, what are the odds of finding this many pieces of debris generally scattered in the same area of this very remote ocean?

NICK MALLOS, MARINE DEBRIS SPECIALIST: I think that's a key point, Brooke. As I said earlier, you know, certainly there is a lot of debris, particularly plastics and other buoyant material, that is scattered on our ocean's surface. But when you start to look at the satellite imagery, you know, starting with the French imagery, 122 pieces, and then this morning waking up to learn that the Thai government has, you know, documented what could be upwards of 320 pieces or so of debris all in a relatively small area when we look at, you know, the scale of the ocean, it certainly points to the potential for this to be remnants from the Malaysia wreckage. And so the word I would use is definitely being cautiously optimistic of this debris at this time.

BALDWIN: OK. OK. What about the process? Because I know I can only imagine the families are very frustrated that we're getting all these great pictures, yet where is the actual debris. So I don't know if you know. Obviously you're not in on this specific search. But what might the process be between, you know, the time lapse and seeing these satellite photos to analyzing the photos, to dispatching planes, to getting, you know, vessels out there on the water? How long does that really have to take?

MALLOS: I can't speak to the actual time of the process, but what I can say is -- and as Will noted, you know, that the weather changes very drastically in a very short amount of time on the ocean. And the ocean is a very dynamic environment. So it is possible that from the time these images were taken, to the actual deployment of the rescue vessels to try and get a visual confirmation, it is not out of the realm of possibility for that debris to have traveled, you know, upwards of several hundred miles.

BALDWIN: Wow. And they will have to, you know, once they find it, hopefully track back and find the initial wreckage and who knows how long that could take. And I think to just further your point, I keep hearing this phrase roaring 40s, Nick. I think that refers to the latitude. Can you explain that to me?

MALLOS: Yes, just, the roaring 40s, the 40 degree latitudes, are particularly windy areas and the weather conditions out on the ocean are - you know, can be particularly, you know, hazardous. So as we've seen with the storms that have been roaring in and the poor visibility, the heavy rains, all of those variabilities not only make the search and rescue effort very difficult, but also all of those factors will aid in the movement and transport of that debris, both on the surface as well as potentially submerging to depths. BALDWIN: And I know given this part of the world, you know, daylight significantly shrinks in a matter of weeks and months here so that's something else they're going to have to battle if they're still out there. Nick Mallos, thank you so much for your expertise here.

Coming up, staying on this story, talking about the pilot's son, now breaking his silence and clearly coming to the defense of his own father against these wild theories we've all heard. You will hear from him.

Plus, hear from a former airline executive who knows both the captain and the co-pilot.

Also, breaking news just in to CNN. Moments ago, the Centers for Disease Control reported an alarming rise in autism rates. This is a huge, huge deal. We're going to break it down for you, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Welcome back. I'm Brooke Baldwin.

Let's talk about the family of Malaysia Air Flight 370's pilot because they are finally breaking their silence to reject all these wild theories and speculation that could be pointing figures at the pilot in any such way. Fifty-three-year-old Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah. He has worked for Malaysia Air since 1981. The pilot's youngest son spoke out to this English language Malaysian newspaper. I'm going to quote him. "I have read everything online, but I've ignored all the speculation. I know my father better. We may not be as close as he travels so much, but I understand him." In addition this here, a former CEO of Malaysia Airlines strongly came out defending the pilot and co-pilot when he talked to our correspondent Jim Clancy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You knew Captain Shah. Some people point a finger at him.

AZIZ ABDUL RAHMAN, FORMER CEO, MALAYSIA AIRLINES: He's an excellent pilot. And I think and also an excellent (INAUDIBLE). I - I think they're going the wrong way. They're pointing finger at him.

CLANCY: You also knew the co-pilot. What can you say about him?

RAHMAN: I think he's just a nice young man. A good young man. And - because I come from the same place. His father learned the Koran by heart. He teaches the Koran. So he also learned the Koran by heart. He's a good Muslim. And I know the captain is a very good Muslim.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: A U.S. official tells CNN nothing is quote/unquote "jumping out" so far from the FBI's review of hard drives belonging to the pilot and co-pilot. So joining me now, our aviation correspondent, Richard Quest, and aviation analyst Les Abend, who is also a pilot of the 777. So, gentlemen. Richard, I want to begin with you just on the notion of objectivity and this investigation because the real question to me, you know, listening to that and learning a little bit more about this pilot, is it possible that the Malaysian government's investigation of this man can really be considered unbiased or even free of local (ph) motivations given this pilot's been a support of, you know, the opposition in Malaysia?

RICHARD QUEST, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. The Malaysian authorities, the police's ability to conduct a rigorous investigation, I think is not in question where this is concerned. Firstly, not least, Brooke, because the allegations concerning the opposition and the supposed relationship that he has to the opposition leader, Ibrahim Anwar, you know, he's his brother's mother's cousin's daughter's sister's uncle further (ph) twice removed.

BALDWIN: Right. Right.

QUEST: It's so removed and so far-fetched. And, yes, I can certainly concede that politics in Malaysia does not run on the straight and narrow tracks of many democracies one might argue. But to suggest that the police, the terrorism authorities, the special branch can't conduct or aren't going to conduct an investigation I think is simply wrong, if only because not least there are so many other international organizations from the FBI, from the AAIV (ph), everybody in their brother is watching over this.

BALDWIN: Les, I'm curious, just as a pilot, and everyone's trying to cross the t's and dot the I's here, but do you think that the scrutiny, and we've all heard it and read it of either the pilot or the co-pilot has been overblown at all?

LES ABEND, CNN AVIATION ANALYST: Well, I mean, the scrutiny is part of the investigation process. I understand that. I don't think I agree with Richard, but making the scrutiny, you know, a public display during the investigation process is what bothers me.

What I find fascinating is that the CEO, former CEO of the airline, is such a tight knit group that he knows both the co-pilot and the captain. I find that fascinating that they all know each other. And it -- being such a tight knit group, they all know the personalities, the dispositions. And, you know, if there was anything that was a wry, I think that, as a pilot group, this would be brought to somebody's attention.

BALDWIN: You would hope so, right, at least.

Richard Quest, let me move off this and just get right back to really the big story of the day.

QUEST: Sure.

BALDWIN: And, guys, let's just throw up those pictures, all these satellite images. I mean I was talking to an oceanographer a second ago and he was basically saying this can't possibly all just be coincidence that you have these possible debris fields. You know, 300 objects here, 122 objects here, 10 objects here.

But, again, I get back to this point and I keep hearing this complaint from a lot of people. Again, it's such a delay between seeing the pictures and getting out there and getting tangible debris in their hands.

QUEST: Yes. And I've got the pictures here in front of me, those from the Thai - (INAUDIBLE).

BALDWIN: Yes.

QUEST: The satellite authority. I think, you know, if it looks like a duck, smells like a duck and walks like a duck, or whatever that phrase is, eventually you start to say, well, look, it's a duck.

BALDWIN: Yes.

QUEST: We've had French satellite pictures. We've had Chinese satellite pictures. We've now got the Thai satellite pictures. And, yes, I know this area of the sea is being called - the ocean is being called the world's garbage area, but 300 pieces in a fairly close format, in this manner, I think you've got to - and that is why also, Brooke, I'm quite confident - quite confident that in the fullness (ph) of time, they will get there because you now have successive satellite pictures, as you're looking there. The 16th, the 23rd, the 24th. You've now had successive details that shows roughly where it is.

BALDWIN: OK. And, obviously, they want to get this in their hands.

QUEST: Yes.

BALDWIN: It becomes the big question, what happened on board the plane, how did the plane enter the water. You can deduce that based upon looking at the debris, examining the debris, looking for smoke marks, mangled metal, et cetera.

But I'm just curious if you even would know this, Les, but when we see all these pieces of debris on the ocean and we also have to conclude that a lot of it is under water, what on the plane would be floating?

ABEND: That's a good question. That's what I was contemplating. It's probably of similar material. I mean my first guess, you know, of course I'm skeptical. We've gone over the fact that it may not very well be that. But it could be seat cushions. It could be the life rafts underneath the - the life jackets underneath the seat. I would say it's got to be similar type material that's floating together and collecting together, if indeed that's what it is.

BALDWIN: Just quickly, the Japanese are saying, the word they're using, the adjective is "shiny." I mean might it be possible when you hear about some of the lengths of some of these pieces, these objects, and again just speculation, if it is pieces of the plane, could a wing float? Is that a crazy thought?

ABEND: Well, you know, a wing - a wing floating is very much a possibility from the standpoint of the wings, if we go with the scenario that this airplane flew until the wing tanks were empty, there's empty airspace.

BALDWIN: Ah.

ABEND: And in the wing tanks themselves. So it could keep the airplane - or keep that wing floating.

BALDWIN: OK. Les Abend and Richard Quest, gentlemen, thank you both very much. And I know Les will be sticking around because you, your questions, keep coming. I keep checking my Twitter. It's incredible, #370qs. Could the pilots have been flying blind? Send me these tweets @brookebcnn, and we will answer some of those questions on air.

Also ahead, the worst incident involving Malaysia Airlines before this year was actually a hijacking. One that still remains unsolved to this day. We'll tell you that story, next. Special coverage continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: So this current mystery of Malaysian Air Flight 370 brings back all kinds of painful memories for families who lost loved ones in what, until now, was the worst episode in Malaysian aviation history. I'm talking about the hijacking and crash of Malaysia Air Flight 653. That was back, decades ago, in 1977. And to this day, the motive for that hijacking is still a mystery. CNN's Saima Mohsin talked to the son of one of the victims of that terrible day.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM SHERRINGTON, FATHER DIED IN MALAYSIA AIRLINES 653 CRASH: This is it. I'm always stuck in that picture.

SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over):: Tom Sherrington feels his relationship with his father will forever be stuck in 1977. His father, Richard, died when he was just 12 years old, about the same age his own son is today.

SHERRINGTON: I can only guess what he was like. And he never really got to know me as an adult. And I guess that is a feeling of regret, you know, and then, obviously, meeting my family and my children.

MOHSIN: A hundred passengers and crew, including Richard Sherrington, just 37-years-old, were all killed when their plane was hijacked and crashed in swampland in Tanjung Kupang, Johor, the deadliest event in Malaysia Airlines history until the disappearance of MH-370.

Transcripts of the last 32 minutes of Flight 653 shows that a hijacker entered the cockpit demanding the pilot cut all radio contact. The captain says he'll do whatever he wants, but the hijacker shoots the captain and first officer. Then the plane crashes. Who the hijacker was remains a mystery to this day.

MOHSIN (on camera): CNN has spoken to a woman whose father also died on board Flight 653. She says the disappearance of MH-370 has brought back difficult memories. But the hardest thing of all, she says, is that 37 years down the line, we still don't know the truth.

SHERRINGTON: For a few years, it was kind of a bleak kind of time that we just felt really wounded, you know. So, yes, and it did really mark a moment where from that time on your (INAUDIBLE) putting yourselves back together again and that's - you know, that's what happened with these people out in Malaysia now is this will be the thing that you refer to for a long, long time.

MOHSIN: For years, Tom told me, he imagined his father was lost and wandering in the jungle, where his plane had crashed, waiting to be rescued.

SHERRINGTON: What we're seeing, dad's name on the stone (ph) so far away.

MOHSIN: As an adult, he made a pilgrimage to the crash site. Visiting the memorial has been a key part of the Sherrington family's acceptance. Some kind of monument or place to go to. Something he thinks families of MH-370 will need, as well as each other.

SHERRINGTON: I would say that, you know, they should stick together as much as possible and communicate with each other and share their kind of experiences. And I think that's - that's helpful for people to have that shared experience.

MOHSIN: And memories. Tom enjoys listening to recordings of his father singing, sharing them with his children. But for now, the grieving process is yet to begin. Families are still in shock, some in denial.

SHERRINGTON: It's not something which goes away quickly and that's - it's -- you do have to get used to (INAUDIBLE). It's a kind of lifetime of processing the bereavement. You know it's -- it's an initial phase that's really, really hard and it gets easier. It does get easier. But it never goes away. Never. That sense of loss never ever goes away.

MOHSIN: Saima Mohsin, CNN, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BALDWIN: Saima, thank you so much here.

And back to the current coverage of this still missing plane. Right now, the big story, these pictures. Investigators are looking at the satellite imagery here. Now this one showing 300 objects in the ocean. But, oh, horrible conditions. Chaotic currents, wild weather making it very difficult to actually get out and find that debris.

Plus, CNN did some investigating about what the industry may change in the wake of this flight disappearance. It impacts how all of us fly. That's next.

You're watching CNN's special coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)