Pilot Spoke Post-Signal Shutoff

A pilot on Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 reportedly spoke to air control shortly after the signal system system was disabled, but did not state any problems or signs of stress said Malaysia’s defense minister, Hishammuddin Hussein. The search for Malaysian Airlines’ Flight 370 was declared a criminal investigation on Saturday, when the country’s prime minister announced that the plane had been deliberately diverted from its planned course and flew as much as seven hours to an unknown location. It appears there were a number of errors in tracking and searching for the flight, including the fact that no one in the Malaysian Air Force control room noticed the plane's wide U-turn over the Gulf of Thailand. Malaysia is seeking the help of other governments for a search across a large part of Asia. Police officers searched the home of the plane’s pilot on Saturday too, though a police official said no details would be available until a press conference on Sunday.