Malaysia Suspends Search for Missing Flight MH370 Until Year-End

Malaysia’s Transport Minister, Anthony Loke announced that the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared in 2014, has been suspended due to seasonal constraints.

According to AFP report, the Boeing 777 carrying 239 people vanished on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite extensive searches, the plane’s wreckage remains unfound.

Loke stated that the search operation, conducted by maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity, was halted due to seasonal factors, adding that the search will resume at the end of this year.

“They have stopped the operation for the time being, they will resume the search at the end of this year,” he said. “Right now, it’s not the season.”

The search operation was launched on a “no find, no fee” basis, with the Malaysian government only paying out if the firm finds the aircraft.

Loke emphasized that the outcome of the search is uncertain. “Whether or not it will be found will be subject to the search, nobody can anticipate.”

The disappearance of MH370 has sparked numerous theories, including speculation about veteran pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah’s involvement. A 2018 report highlighted air traffic control failures and manual course changes, but the cause of the disappearance remains unknown.

Relatives of the missing passengers continue to demand answers from Malaysian authorities. Family members of Chinese passengers recently gathered in Beijing, holding placards and shouting slogans like “Give us back our loved ones!” and “When will the 11 years of waiting and torment end?”

AFP