Official information is that the plane still emitted radar signals while passing over Malaysia and disappeared over the Andaman Sea.
Satellite analysis is said to have shown the plane turned around and likely plummeted into the Southern Indian Ocean.
A possible crash site has been identified 2,400 km southwest of Australia.
The search there was the most expensive in aviation history.
However, apart from the controversial debris, there is no trace of the plane.
Ms. Florence found evidence from intelligence sources and affirmed: “I am more certain than ever that there was no accident in the South Indian Ocean. The plane continued to fly until 2:40 a.m.”
Question of fragments
Investigators said the first piece of debris found on July 29, 2015 was a piece from the right wing known as the flaperon.
Debris believed to be from MH370 washed up on Reunion Island in 2015. Photo: EPA
Debris washed up on a beach on Reunion Island, a French territory near Mauritius, about 3,500 miles from Malaysia.
But Ms. Florence said: “There are many good reasons to see that the debris is not from MH370.
“First, they never even determined the origin of the flaperon. This is shocking. Second, they said the flaperon suffered two consecutive shocks, but that’s also inconsistent with a accident at sea” – Ms. Florence said.
“In addition, just because the piece of composite material broke does not mean it can float. In the fiercest ocean on the planet, it must travel up to 16 km/day in a straight line for more than 500 days to reach Reunion. I am sure that the piece is not related to MH370″ – the investigative journalist said.
Captain: Guilty or innocent?
Suspicion initially fell on captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 52 years old, who was said to have a chaotic love life.
The Malaysian Prime Minister at that time even hinted that Zaharie could be behind a murder-suicide plot.
But Ms. Florence said: “I think the captain is innocent. He has been at the center of numerous accusations and smear campaigns. I talked to people who knew him and looked at confidential police reports about him. I believe he is a good person and had nothing to do with the fate of the plane.”
Relatives of passenger MH370 desperately wait for news of their loved ones in a hotel in Beijing, March 9, 2014. Photo: Reuters
Commodity: Is it a cover?
According to the cargo manifest, on MH370 there were 4.5 tons of fresh mangosteen and 2.5 tons of small electrical appliances.
“Mangosteen doesn’t mean anything,” Ms. Florence said. March is not mangosteen season, and the volume is ridiculous. Then I discovered that mangosteen was on every MH370 flight the following month.”
“The biggest hub for illegal trade between Africa and China is Kuala Lumpur airport. Mangosteen can be a cover for all sorts of things, including rhino horn or ivory,” said Ms. Florence.
Regarding electrical items, she said, according to official reports, these items were not inspected through scanners, and “that is a big problem”.
Ms. Florence said that the cargo could force the plane to make an emergency landing. She also added: “I believe there has been action to confiscate the goods. If you are surrounded by military aircraft, you must obey orders.”