Interference. Departed 30 minutes sooner means approximately 200 nm distance ahead. Pretty normal not to be able to make clear contact.
However, they fly another hour and ten minutes. There is absolutely no excuse for the aircraft in distress not to make a call. Even if he lost or forgot to mKe a call to center, when company called, he would or should have tried the emergency frequency and make contact.
In that case, if it was you, would you use the verb “mumbling?” I don’t think so - that describes how someone is speaking which is completely different than interference. When I’m talking to someone overseas on Skype and the connection is bad, I sure wouldn’t ask why they are mumbling.
I dunno - maybe I am putting too much into it. Sure is a lot that doesn’t add up, tho.
They had one of those experts on with Geraldo tonight who says he believes this is terrorism, why, because he said that with 777 planes they automatically send signals to the tower, the Pilot doesn’t have to do anything, the fact that nothing was sent to the tower is very suspicious to him
Aviate Navigate Communicate. That's the priority. If the distress was cataclysmic there is every reason that they wouldn't have got to communicate. There are gaps in ICAO radar coverage, specifically in that area. That's why there is separation after departure either by altitude or distance. If you fly the cleared airspeed, you should be clear of other aircraft at the assigned altitude.