MH370 investigation reveals mobile signal near Penang

A safety investigation report regarding the disappearance of flight MH370 has revealed that a mobile phone signal was recorded near Penang, Malaysia, during the aircraft's final flight path. The signal was detected by a base station in Bandar Baru Farlim at 1:52:27 AM local time on March 8, 2014.

Telecommunications providers confirmed the phone number was registered to First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid. This signal occurred while the Boeing 777 was performing a sudden turn back over the Malaysian Peninsula and flying south of Penang, a period during which the aircraft was still within military radar range.

Investigators noted that while the signal indicates the device was powered on, there is no evidence of active communication, such as calls or messages. To assess connectivity possibilities, researchers conducted flight tests using a King Air 350. The tests showed that while maintaining calls above 8,000 feet is difficult, one tested device was still capable of making a call at 20,000 feet.