http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/11/missing-plane-definitely-turned-back-malaysia
Quite perplexing now, a turn-a-round would normally indicate a known problem (or a hostile act or A/C takeover) and an attempt to repatriate at either the airport the aircraft took-off from or an available and applicable landing area.
The one thing that is really troubling me is that under the above conditions, at least a turn-a-round for a known problem, one would anticipate that normally cockpit protocol would still be followed, in this case - ANC - Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. If the A/C had deviated as far away from its intended route as being put forth my the Malaysian Military AND the cockpit was still under normal control and operating procedures then the 'communicate' section would still be in play, i.e the crew would have to either annunciate the fact to the ground ops / control tower that they were heading off flight path or make blind-call's in the hope that another A/C, ship or transponder was in the area and would hear the call.
Consider the Air France accident a few years back, the crew to all intents and purposess remained underr the ANC protocol, in that they attempted to fly the aircraft, they were trying to follow pre-determined navagation routes and they we're in contact for about 4 minutes from first 'May Day' call until the aircraft hit the water. I still believe that they will come across the data recorders soon enough but the posibility of an hostile act or A/C takeover is becoming a distinct possibility in my mind.
