By
Associated Press
and Richard Shears
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Malaysian Airlines jet with 227 people on board after it lost contact flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Airline officials admitted they were gravely concerned for the safety of the aircraft.
It was not immediately known if any Britons or Americans were on board the jet which was flying on a popular route.
An unconfirmed report on a flight tracking website said the aircraft had plunged 200m and changed course shortly before all contact was lost.
The route would have taken flight MH370, a B777-200 aircraft, across the Malaysian mainland in a north easterly direction and then across the Gulf of Thailand.
Those on board included two infants and 12 crew members, Malaysian Airlines said in a statement, adding it was working with all authorities in the region and search and rescue teams had been mobilised.
The aircraft had been due to land in Beijing at 6.30am local time but at 7.54am the airline issued a statement saying it had not landed and was officially missing.
Aviation experts said that if the report of the aircraft suddenly plunging was correct it could be due to a number of factors.
These include a catastrophic engine failure, the pilots taking evasive action to avoid another aircraft, or an explosion.
The airline has not said whether the pilots were able to issue a distress call - but if they did not, experts said this could indicate a catastrophy that had occurred without warning.
Malaysian Airlines said it would issue updates as soon as more information became available.
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Malaysian Airlines jet with 227 people on board after it lost contact flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
Airline officials admitted they were gravely concerned for the safety of the aircraft.
It was not immediately known if any Britons or Americans were on board the jet which was flying on a popular route.
An unconfirmed report on a flight tracking website said the aircraft had plunged 200m and changed course shortly before all contact was lost.
The route would have taken flight MH370, a B777-200 aircraft, across the Malaysian mainland in a north easterly direction and then across the Gulf of Thailand.
Those on board included two infants and 12 crew members, Malaysian Airlines said in a statement, adding it was working with all authorities in the region and search and rescue teams had been mobilised.
The aircraft had been due to land in Beijing at 6.30am local time but at 7.54am the airline issued a statement saying it had not landed and was officially missing.
Aviation experts said that if the report of the aircraft suddenly plunging was correct it could be due to a number of factors.
These include a catastrophic engine failure, the pilots taking evasive action to avoid another aircraft, or an explosion.
The airline has not said whether the pilots were able to issue a distress call - but if they did not, experts said this could indicate a catastrophy that had occurred without warning.
Malaysian Airlines said it would issue updates as soon as more information became available.
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Missing: The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 lost contact with Air Traffic Control over the Pacific with 227 passengers aboard
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