Cargo, including lithium-ion batteries

Public discussion often points at lithium batteries because they have started fires in other 777 events. The Malaysian team reviewed the MH370 cargo, including the battery consignment, and reported proper packing and a history of similar cargoes. Combined with a long, apparently controlled cruise after the diversion, a running cargo fire is a poor fit for the six-hour SATCOM life — though the report does not claim it could never happen. Treat “it was the batteries” as a hypothesis the official investigation did not adopt. The working log records a 2,453 kg Motorola-related consignment (lithium-ion batteries themselves about 221 kg, plus chargers and radio accessories) and about 4,566 kg of mangosteens, airway bill 232-10677085. Why the Motorola load was not X-rayed, the exact SKUs, and whether any powered transmitter was present are open reconstruction questions, not findings.