Missing Malaysia Airlines flight: Seven facts about the Indian-owned Andaman Islands
One of the last pings from military radar suggested the missing aircraft could have landed on an archipelago between India and Burma
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Andaman Islands
The missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is believed to have been DELIBERATELY flown towards the Andaman Islands.
The last "ping" on a military radar tracking device suggested the aircraft, with 239 passengers, was heading toward the Indian-owned archipelago.
Conspiracy theories have been thrown into the frantic talks about the mysterious disappearance, with some claiming the plane was hijacked.
Ex-British Airways pilot Alastair Rosenschein also joined in the chorus of debate and said the plummeted into the Indian Ocean somewhere between Madagascar and Australia.
But what if the latest development about the Andaman Islands is true?
Here are seven facts about the island:
1. The island was a penal colony
The island was once known as Kalapani - which means Black Waters - because it was a feared penal colony for criminals.
It was ravaged by disease and violence and the natives often attacked and killed seafarers.
One of the most notorious murders was in 1872 when visiting Conservative Richard Bourke, the 6th Earl of Mayo, was killed by a Muslim convict.
2. The territory contains 572 tropical islands
The most heavy populated place is Port Blair, the capital, on South Andaman.
Typically, the landscapes have lush vegetation and there are 11 mud volcanoes on the islands.
The climate is always warm, swept by sea breezes and rainfall is rare. But there are monsoons in the southwest.
3. The islands are close to the epicentre of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami
The coast of the Andaman Islands was devastated by a 33ft high tsunami.
More than 2,000 people were killed and more than 4,000 children were orphaned or lost a parent.
The area is prone to earthquakes: In 2009 a magnitude 7 earthquake rocked the area and on 30th March 2010 a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck.
4. Marco Polo is credited with discovering Andaman Islands
In the 13th century Marco Polo described the islands in his writings and called them Angamanain.
He branded the natives as cannibals and claimed they had heads like dogs.
Another Italian traveller called Niccolo de Conti claimed the islands name means Islands of Gold.
5. The main religion is Aminism
Aminism is a view that non humans, including animals and plants, or even objects and phenomena, possess a spiritual essence.
A lot of emphasis is put on dreams and often the people decide different courses of actions in their lives based on dreams.
Other religions followed in terms of size are Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism Jainism and Christianity.
6. The airport is under the control of the Indian Navy
The only airport in the islands if Vir Savarkar Airport in the capital Port Blair and only daytime flying is permitted.
Flights are expensive due to the small number of airlines operating on the islands.
Destinations that can be reached are Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore and Bhubaneswar.
7. Arthur Conan Doyle used the islands for a Sherlock Holmes mystery
The second adventure for the master sleuth was called The Sign of Four.
It is set in 1888 and involves the East India Company, the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and some stolen treasure.
Holmes's drug habit is also introduced for the first time, as is Dr Watson's future wife, Mary Morstan.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-latest-3240717#ixzz2wE2OTOdA
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