On March 21, 2022, China Eastern Airlines Flight MU5735 took off from Kunming Changshui International Airport, bound for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. The flight was expected to last just under two hours. However, disaster struck just an hour after departure when the aircraft plunged from 29,000 feet in seconds, crashing into the mountains of Teng County, Wuzhou, Guangxi. All 132 passengers and crew on board lost their lives. The cause of this catastrophe remains one of the biggest aviation mysteries in recent history.
A Rapid and Unexplained Descent
At 2:20 PM local time, the aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, was cruising at 29,100 feet when it suddenly nosedived at an extreme speed. The descent was so rapid that in less than two minutes, the plane crashed into the ground.
Investigators noted something unusual. At 8,000 feet, the plane briefly stopped falling and even climbed slightly before plunging again. Experts say this movement suggests possible human intervention. This rapid fall and slight recovery make the crash even more mysterious.
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Was It Mechanical Failure or Intentional?
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), along with the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), launched an extensive investigation. Initially, they considered engine failure, structural damage, or bad weather as possible causes. However, data ruled out these possibilities. The aircraft was fully functional before takeoff, and weather conditions were clear and stable.(Boeing 737 safety records)
Investigators then shifted focus to the human factor. The black box data suggested that someone inside the cockpit manually forced the plane into a nosedive. This led experts to consider two possibilities: pilot suicide or unauthorized access to the cockpit. The case echoed past incidents like EgyptAir Flight 990 (1999) and Germanwings Flight 9525 (2015), where pilots intentionally crashed their planes.
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Crucial Findings from the Black Boxes
Investigators recovered both black boxes—the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). These devices are crucial in solving aviation disasters. They record both the pilots’ conversations and the plane’s technical data.
Though severely damaged, the black boxes provided a chilling revelation. The descent was not due to mechanical failure or external damage but was manually commanded from within the cockpit. This confirmed that someone on board was responsible for the plane’s crash.
The Human Tragedy: Lives Lost in an Instant
The crash devastated families across China. Many passengers had changed their flights last minute, making their deaths feel even more tragic. Among them was a 16-year-old girl flying home for her birthday, a mother reuniting with her daughter after years apart, and a woman heading to meet her fiancé after months of separation.
Buddhist ceremonies were held near the crash site as China Eastern Airlines and officials expressed condolences. The airline grounded its entire fleet of Boeing 737-800s for safety checks, though no faults were found.
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Public Reactions and Conspiracy Theories
The crash sparked intense speculation on Chinese social media. Some users suggested foreign sabotage, pointing fingers at the US due to China’s neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, the CAAC dismissed these theories, insisting that the investigation was ongoing.
The Future of the Investigation
Despite the black box data, the official cause remains undetermined. Authorities have yet to release a final report, but evidence suggests a deliberate act. If the pilot intentionally crashed the plane, it raises critical concerns about pilot mental health screenings and cockpit security measures.
As the world waits for definitive answers, one truth remains—the victims and their families deserve justice.
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- Video Source : CNN