MH370 investigation highlights volcanic ash warnings near Sumatra

Investigation reports regarding the disappearance of MH370 have highlighted two volcanic ash warnings issued by the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC Darwin) on March 7, 2014. These warnings concerned the Sinabung volcano on Sumatra Island, Indonesia.

The warnings were issued at 06:27 and 18:37 UTC. The second warning is particularly significant as it occurred approximately two hours after MH370 departed Kuala Lumpur at 16:42 UTC and after the aircraft had lost contact with civilian air traffic control. The ash was observed at altitudes up to FL120 (approximately 3,660 meters) and spreading westward.

The location of the Sinabung volcano in North Sumatra is near the Malacca Strait, a region relevant to the aircraft's final known trajectory. After passing the IGARI waypoint on the Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route, the aircraft turned back toward the Malaysian Peninsula and toward the Malacca Strait. Malaysian military radar last tracked the aircraft at 18:22:12 UTC, roughly 15 minutes before the second volcanic ash warning was issued.