Few passengers would notice if the plane changed course during flight and if they did, they would have no cell phone connection anyways. While up in air, all de

Few passengers would notice if the plane changed course during flight and if they did, they would have no cell phone connection anyways. While up in air, all devices could be collected from the passengers. When the plane landed (on land) and the passengers had signals again, all of these devices would have had to be destroyed so that they didn't connect to the local cell towers. But I think you are right that the plane fell into the sea.