'MH370 plunged vertically into ocean'

It has been 15 months since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing did an unexplained about-face, flew in the wrong direction and disappeared without a trace with 239 souls on board. In the absence of physical evidence, theories on what happened to the plane continue to proliferate: The crew passed out. It was pilot suicide. Or was it a paranormal event?

Now comes the latest contribution to the debate: This week, a mathematician from Texas A&M University announced that he had run data through a computer and determined it was likely the plane had plunged vertically into the ocean.

Goong Chen, using "applied mathematics, computational fluid dynamics and numerical simulations of a Boeing 777 in a classic 'water entry' problem," determined that a plane that piercing vertically into the sea would not break apart. This explains why no debris has been found, he said.