Focus shifts to flight crew amid new revelations

A "new phase" of investigation, that's how Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has described the search for flight MH370 that went missing 9 days ago. The search area is wider than before, stretching as far north as the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and as far south as the southern Indian Ocean.  [Special coverage]

The multi-nation search effort now involves 25 countries. Malaysia has also asked for satellite assistance from countries including China, the United States and France. But more information has surfaced as well, for once, all pointing in the same direction.

Was it the pilots? That is the question on everyone's mind.

Speculation is growing as Malaysian police searched the home of the missing flight's captain, just hours after Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak revealed with certainty, that the plane's communications were turned off deliberately. The home of the younger co-pilot was next to be searched.

Search operations for the missing jetliner have been intense, yet, have thrown up little physical evidence. But newly revealed data about the flight path that MH370 took, has given a new direction to search operations -

Experts have narrowed down the search area to two corridors on the basis of radar data and satellite pings. One extends in a northwest direction primarily over land towards the border area between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and the other, southwest into another part of the vast Indian Ocean.

But authorities now do seem to have a better grasp of what they may be dealing with.. a possible hijacking or a commandeering of the plane.

For now, the attention of the media and independent analysts is centered on Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid.

Shah is a veteran pilot with a spotless record across different aircraft types. He's been described as being passionate about flying, even keeping a flight simulator at home. He's known by family and friends as a sociable and community-minded man.

But he is also being described as a strong supporter of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim. Relevant or not, the plane went missing just one day after the Malaysian politician was convicted of sodomy and sentenced to five years in prison.

The investigation into what exactly happened to flight 370 has been difficult to say the least, full of leads that led to nowhere. Oil slicks turned out to be from ships; fake passport holders appeared to be asylum seekers. Questionable photos of the co-pilot and satellite pictures from Chinese sources didn't help either.

While for the loved ones left behind, hijacking might just be the best case scenario in this heart-wrenching situation. Even if the passengers are still being held somewhere, as long as they are alive.