Independent investigator turns to deep sea search efforts in probe over MH370

A graphic of the current undersea search area and the vessels involved. Australia, China and Malaysia are funding the search operations with the Australian Transport Safety Board leading the operations. – The Malaysian Insider graphics, March 20, 2015.While the official investigation on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has failed to shed any light on the plane's whereabouts, a US-based investigative journalist is seeking to conduct an independent inquiry into the flight based on deep sea search efforts.

John E. Fiorentino said he had already obtained the support of a former board member of the National Transport Safety Board, Dr Vernan Grose, for his proposal for the inquiry.

"I am currently soliciting a select few expert individuals who would be interested in adding their names to my proposal which would seek to formulate an independent inquiry into flight MH370 with continuing deep sea search efforts.

"This endeavour will be neither simple nor cheap and I have entered into this proposition with that full realisation," said Fiorentino in a statement today.

He urged the public to contact him if they wished to join or support him in his probe, adding that he was currently fleshing out the details of the proposal.

Fiorentino said he had already made some progress in his analysis of publicly released Air Traffic Control (ATC) recordings, which he was carrying out with the help of audio analyst Steve Barber.

He said Barber had experience analysing audio recordings related to the 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, and had previously worked under two-Nobel prize-winning physicists, Norman F. Ramsey and Luis Alvares.

"The initial review of the ATC recording has strengthened my suspicions, but more analysis is required before any firm findings can be releases," said Fiorentino.

"Mr Barber's analysis and final conclusions will be independent of any opinions expressed by myself."

The mysterious disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight last year spurred amateurs and experts alike to pick the case apart in a bid to find out what happened to the plane and the 239 people on board.

Malaysia's official investigation team released an interim report detailing the progress of its probe and the factual information it had obtained, on the anniversary of the plane's disappearance.

However, the interim report offers few new clues as to what happened to the plane and has been criticised by the families of those who went missing on the flight.

Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, disappeared from radar screens about an hour after departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport for Beijing on March 8 last year. – March 20, 2015.