Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
<meta content="uuidK8U0axt3m8n9" name="uuid"/>
Malaysia has agreed to resume the search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, its transport minister said on Friday, more than 10 years after it disappeared in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.
Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
"Our responsibility and obligation and commitment is to the next of kin," Transport Minister Anthony Loke told a press conference. "We hope this time will be positive, that the wreckage will be found and give closure to the families."
Jiang Hui, whose mother was a MH370 passenger, welcomed the decision to resume the search, but said the process to get there had taken too long and would be better if more players could take part.
"We hope the Malaysian government can adopt a more open approach, such as offering a public reward system where anyone can participate in the search," he said.
MH370's last transmission was about 40 minutes after it took off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing. The pilots signed off as the plane entered Vietnamese air space over the Gulf of Thailand and soon after its transponder was turned off.
Military radar showed the plane left its flight path to fly back over northern Malaysia then out into the Andaman Sea before turning south, then all contact was lost.
Debris, some confirmed and some believed to be from the aircraft, has since washed up along the coast of Africa and on islands in the Indian Ocean.
Loke said the proposal to resume the search in the southern Indian Ocean came from exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which had conducted the last search for the plane that ended in 2018.
A contract would be signed to cover an 18-month period and the firm would receive $70 million if wreckage found was substantive, he said, adding the search would be on the seabed of a new area covering 15,000 sq km (5,790 sq miles).
Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-russia-launches-barrage-of-missiles-on-kyiv-killing-1-and-cutting-heating-to-numerous-buildings-785532">Russia launches barrage of missiles on Kyiv, damaging six diplomatic missions</a>
No precise location of the new search area was given.
More than 150 Chinese passengers were on the flight. Others included 50 Malaysians as well as citizens of France, Australia, Indonesia, India, the United States, Ukraine and Canada, among others.
Relatives have demanded compensation from Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce and the Allianz insurance group, among others.
<h2>Credible Data</h2>
Loke said Malaysia had assessed new data on the possible location from multiple experts and Ocean Infinity was confident about the chances of locating the wreckage.
"The data has all been presented. Our team has gone through and they felt that it is credible," he said.
Malaysia engaged Ocean Infinity in 2018 to search in the southern Indian Ocean, but it failed on two attempts.
That followed an underwater search by Malaysia, Australia and China in a 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean, based on data of automatic connections between an Inmarsat satellite and the plane.
The new arrangement would be on a no-find-no-fee principle, whereby Malaysia would not be required to pay Ocean Infinity unless sufficient wreckage is found and verified.
Asked about the prospects of locating all of the plane, Loke said it would be unfair to expect a concrete commitment.
"At this point of time, nobody knows for sure. It has been over 10 years," he said.
A 495-page report into the disappearance in 2018 said the Boeing 777's controls were likely deliberately manipulated to go off course, but investigators could not determine who was responsible and stopped short of offering a conclusion on what happened, saying that depended on finding the wreckage.
Investigators have said there was nothing suspicious in the background, financial affairs, training and mental health of both the captain and co-pilot.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.



Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Malaysia has agreed to resume the search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, its transport minister said on Friday, more than 10 years after it disappeared in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. "Our responsibility and obligation and commitment is to the next of kin," Transport Minister Anthony Loke told a press conference. "We hope this time will be positive, that the wreckage will be found and give closure to the families." Jiang Hui, whose mother was a MH370 passenger, welcomed the decision to resume the search, but said the process to get there had taken too long and would be better if more players could take part. "We hope the Malaysian government can adopt a more open approach, such as offering a public reward system where anyone can participate in the search," he said. MH370's last transmission was about 40 minutes after it took off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing. The pilots signed off as the plane entered Vietnamese air space over the Gulf of Thailand and soon after its transponder was turned off. Military radar showed the plane left its flight path to fly back over northern Malaysia then out into the Andaman Sea before turning south, then all contact was lost. Debris, some confirmed and some believed to be from the aircraft, has since washed up along the coast of Africa and on islands in the Indian Ocean. Loke said the proposal to resume the search in the southern Indian Ocean came from exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which had conducted the last search for the plane that ended in 2018. A contract would be signed to cover an 18-month period and the firm would receive $70 million if wreckage found was substantive, he said, adding the search would be on the seabed of a new area covering 15,000 sq km (5,790 sq miles). Also read: Russia launches barrage of missiles on Kyiv, damaging six diplomatic missions No precise location of the new search area was given. More than 150 Chinese passengers were on the flight. Others included 50 Malaysians as well as citizens of France, Australia, Indonesia, India, the United States, Ukraine and Canada, among others. Relatives have demanded compensation from Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce and the Allianz insurance group, among others. Credible Data Loke said Malaysia had assessed new data on the possible location from multiple experts and Ocean Infinity was confident about the chances of locating the wreckage. "The data has all been presented. Our team has gone through and they felt that it is credible," he said. Malaysia engaged Ocean Infinity in 2018 to search in the southern Indian Ocean, but it failed on two attempts. That followed an underwater search by Malaysia, Australia and China in a 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean, based on data of automatic connections between an Inmarsat satellite and the plane. The new arrangement would be on a no-find-no-fee principle, whereby Malaysia would not be required to pay Ocean Infinity unless sufficient wreckage is found and verified. Asked about the prospects of locating all of the plane, Loke said it would be unfair to expect a concrete commitment. "At this point of time, nobody knows for sure. It has been over 10 years," he said. A 495-page report into the disappearance in 2018 said the Boeing 777's controls were likely deliberately manipulated to go off course, but investigators could not determine who was responsible and stopped short of offering a conclusion on what happened, saying that depended on finding the wreckage. Investigators have said there was nothing suspicious in the background, financial affairs, training and mental health of both the captain and co-pilot. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Malaysia approves new $70 million search for missing flight MH370, 10 years after it went missing

Malaysia has agreed to resume the search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, its transport minister said on Friday, more than 10 years after it disappeared in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

Malaysia has agreed to resume the search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, its transport minister said on Friday, more than 10 years after it disappeared in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. "Our responsibility and obligation and commitment is to the next of kin," Transport Minister Anthony Loke told a press conference. "We hope this time will be positive, that the wreckage will be found and give closure to the families." Jiang Hui, whose mother was a MH370 passenger, welcomed the decision to resume the search, but said the process to get there had taken too long and would be better if more players could take part. "We hope the Malaysian government can adopt a more open approach, such as offering a public reward system where anyone can participate in the search," he said. MH370's last transmission was about 40 minutes after it took off from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing. The pilots signed off as the plane entered Vietnamese air space over the Gulf of Thailand and soon after its transponder was turned off. Military radar showed the plane left its flight path to fly back over northern Malaysia then out into the Andaman Sea before turning south, then all contact was lost. Debris, some confirmed and some believed to be from the aircraft, has since washed up along the coast of Africa and on islands in the Indian Ocean. Loke said the proposal to resume the search in the southern Indian Ocean came from exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which had conducted the last search for the plane that ended in 2018. A contract would be signed to cover an 18-month period and the firm would receive $70 million if wreckage found was substantive, he said, adding the search would be on the seabed of a new area covering 15,000 sq km (5,790 sq miles). Also read: Russia launches barrage of missiles on Kyiv, damaging six diplomatic missions No precise location of the new search area was given. More than 150 Chinese passengers were on the flight. Others included 50 Malaysians as well as citizens of France, Australia, Indonesia, India, the United States, Ukraine and Canada, among others. Relatives have demanded compensation from Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce and the Allianz insurance group, among others. Credible Data Loke said Malaysia had assessed new data on the possible location from multiple experts and Ocean Infinity was confident about the chances of locating the wreckage. "The data has all been presented. Our team has gone through and they felt that it is credible," he said. Malaysia engaged Ocean Infinity in 2018 to search in the southern Indian Ocean, but it failed on two attempts. That followed an underwater search by Malaysia, Australia and China in a 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean, based on data of automatic connections between an Inmarsat satellite and the plane. The new arrangement would be on a no-find-no-fee principle, whereby Malaysia would not be required to pay Ocean Infinity unless sufficient wreckage is found and verified. Asked about the prospects of locating all of the plane, Loke said it would be unfair to expect a concrete commitment. "At this point of time, nobody knows for sure. It has been over 10 years," he said. A 495-page report into the disappearance in 2018 said the Boeing 777's controls were likely deliberately manipulated to go off course, but investigators could not determine who was responsible and stopped short of offering a conclusion on what happened, saying that depended on finding the wreckage. Investigators have said there was nothing suspicious in the background, financial affairs, training and mental health of both the captain and co-pilot. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

The mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 continues to baffle the aviation world, making it&nbsp;one of the most perplexing incidents in history. Departing from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing on March 8, 2014, the aircraft vanished from radar screens, carrying 239 passengers and crew members. Despite extensive multinational efforts spanning a decade, involving the scanning of a vast 46,300 square mile area, the aircraft remains missing.

Recent developments have thrust tiny sea creatures, known as barnacles, into the spotlight of scientific inquiry, offering a potential breakthrough in the search for MH370's wreckage.

These barnacles were discovered clinging to the initial piece of debris conclusively linked to MH370—a flaperon bearing the distinctive marking "657 BB," which washed ashore on Reunion Island, situated off the coast of Africa, a year following the event.&nbsp;

Barnacles have earlier also helped&nbsp;researchers in tracking "ghost nets" posing threats to marine life to locating missing vessels.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mh370-mystery-us-based-company-hopes-to-find-flight-final-resting-place-696980">Also read |&nbsp;MH370 mystery: US-based company claims it knows the flight's final resting place</a>

<h2>Understanding flaperons</h2>

The flaperon, an important component of an aircraft's wing, serves a crucial role in flight dynamics. Positioned along the wing's trailing edge, these metal flaps are observable from the cabin windows, adjusting position during flight manoeuvres.

While satellites and radar technologies have extensively surveyed suspected crash zones, the precise location of the plane has remained a mystery. Scientists now posit that barnacles could provide invaluable insights into solving this mystery. These small&nbsp;creatures offer a unique biological record akin to the growth rings found in trees.

Researchers speculate that by deciphering this information, it may be feasible to retrace the barnacles' trajectory along the flaperon, potentially leading investigators to the crash site.

Also watch |&nbsp;Malaysia to re-open MH370 probe

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/malaysia-to-re-open-mh370-probe-696558/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

David Griffin, leading a team of Australian government scientists tasked with resolving the MH370 case, expressed surprise at the newfound significance of barnacles in the investigation. "We stumbled upon something that gave much more certainty about the whereabouts of the plane than we anticipated," he told Metro News.

Identified as Lepas anatifera, these barnacles have previously helped&nbsp;researchers in diverse areas, ranging from tracking "ghost nets" posing threats to marine life to locating missing vessels.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 continues to baffle the aviation world, making it one of the most perplexing incidents in history.

The mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 continues to baffle the aviation world, making it one of the most perplexing incidents in history. Departing from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing on March 8, 2014, the aircraft vanished from radar screens, carrying 239 passengers and crew members. Despite extensive multinational efforts spanning a decade, involving the scanning of a vast 46,300 square mile area, the aircraft remains missing. Recent developments have thrust tiny sea creatures, known as barnacles, into the spotlight of scientific inquiry, offering a potential breakthrough in the search for MH370's wreckage. These barnacles were discovered clinging to the initial piece of debris conclusively linked to MH370—a flaperon bearing the distinctive marking "657 BB," which washed ashore on Reunion Island, situated off the coast of Africa, a year following the event. Barnacles have earlier also helped researchers in tracking "ghost nets" posing threats to marine life to locating missing vessels. Also read | MH370 mystery: US-based company claims it knows the flight's final resting place Understanding flaperons The flaperon, an important component of an aircraft's wing, serves a crucial role in flight dynamics. Positioned along the wing's trailing edge, these metal flaps are observable from the cabin windows, adjusting position during flight manoeuvres. While satellites and radar technologies have extensively surveyed suspected crash zones, the precise location of the plane has remained a mystery. Scientists now posit that barnacles could provide invaluable insights into solving this mystery. These small creatures offer a unique biological record akin to the growth rings found in trees. Researchers speculate that by deciphering this information, it may be feasible to retrace the barnacles' trajectory along the flaperon, potentially leading investigators to the crash site. Also watch | Malaysia to re-open MH370 probe David Griffin, leading a team of Australian government scientists tasked with resolving the MH370 case, expressed surprise at the newfound significance of barnacles in the investigation. "We stumbled upon something that gave much more certainty about the whereabouts of the plane than we anticipated," he told Metro News. Identified as Lepas anatifera, these barnacles have previously helped researchers in diverse areas, ranging from tracking "ghost nets" posing threats to marine life to locating missing vessels. (With inputs from agencies)

Tiny sea creatures could help unravel flight MH370’s mysterious disappearance. Here’s how

Families of dozens of Chinese passengers who died when Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014, on Monday (Nov 27) called for a new investigation after a court in Beijing began hearing their fresh appeal for compensation.

Families of dozens of Chinese passengers who died when Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014, on Monday (Nov 27) called for a new investigation after a court in Beijing began hearing their fresh appeal for compensation. According to a report by state broadcaster CCTV, over 40 families filed lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines, aircraft manufacturer Boeing, engine maker Rolls Royce and Allianz insurance group. Speaking to CCTV, a lawyer said the families' litigation requests focused on compensation and finding the truth behind the flight's disappearance. The families also wrote to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, calling for a new search for the missing aircraft on a "No find, No fee" basis. "Our family members hope to search for flight MH370 on our own," the letter said, adding that family members were willing to invest their own money or cooperate with capable individuals and companies. They also asked for effective communication with the Malaysian government to kick off a new hunt. 'Don't care about compensation' Outside the Beijing court, several relatives of the victims were about to cry as they recounted stories of their loved ones, the news agency AFP reported. They held pieces of paper saying "restart the search" and open a fair, impartial investigation. Also read: Did MH370 crash in Cambodian jungle as viral reports claim? Seventy-one-year-old Bao Lanfang, who lost her son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter in the disaster, told reporters, "Personally, I do not care about the monetary compensation. What I want is that Malaysia Airlines to give me the truth. What happened to our loved ones?" "What I want now is for them to resume the search and the investigation," she added. Jiang Hui, whose mother was on flight MH370, said the opening of the hearing was "very comforting, and it is a turning point". "The survival of the relatives during these 10 years, the deterioration of their living conditions... This really makes us very sad. So I hope that the legal relief can be realised as soon as possible. It is not difficult," he said. Some kin already reached settlement with defendants CCTV reported that each family filed for civil compensation of between $1.4 million and $11.2 million, as well as moral damages of $4.2 million to $5.6 million. The state broadcaster said that families of over 110 other passengers already reached a settlement with the defendants and received between $352,232 and $422,600. The MH370 flight vanished on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people -- mostly from China -- en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The disappearance of the aircraft has been the subject of a host of theories. A final report into the tragedy, released in 2018, pointed to failings by air traffic control and said the course of the plane was changed manually. (With inputs from agencies)

MH370 incident: Families of Chinese passengers of disappeared Malaysia Airlines flight call for new probe

Malaysia has never ruled out the possibility that missing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/families-of-mh370-passengers-urge-malaysia-for-a-fresh-search-200903">Malaysia Airlines flight MH370</a> could have been downed by a suicidal pilot, the country's former prime minister Najib Razak said on Wednesday.

Najib, who was premier when MH370 vanished with 239 people on board nearly six years ago, was responding to remarks by former Australian Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-pms-faces-new-leadership-challenge--160959">Tony Abbott</a> that Malaysian leaders had considered from the outset that flight captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah may have committed mass murder.

"My very clear understanding from the very top levels of the Malaysian government is that from very, very early on here, they thought it was a murder-suicide by the pilot," Abbott said in a clip from a Sky News documentary on the tragedy airing Wednesday.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/families-of-mh370-passengers-urge-malaysia-for-a-fresh-search-200903">Families of MH370 passengers urge Malaysia for a fresh search</a>

Najib told online news portal Free Malaysia Today that Malaysian officials had considered such a scenario during their investigation but had chosen not to make their views public.

"It would have been deemed unfair and legally irresponsible since the black boxes and cockpit voice recorders had not been found and hence, there was no conclusive proof whether the pilot was solely or jointly responsible,” Najib was quoted as saying.

"Again I must stress that this possible scenario was never ruled out during the search effort and investigations, where no effort was spared."

A spokesman for Najib confirmed his remarks.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/five-years-on-fate-of-missing-mh370-remains-a-mystery-200629">Five years on, fate of missing MH370 remains mystery</a>

Malaysia's transport ministry declined to comment. Authorities had previously said there was nothing suspicious in the captain's background, training or mental health, but did not rule out the possibility that the aircraft had been deliberately taken off course.

Najib said there were several reasons for authorities to suspect Zaharie's involvement, including his ownership of a home flight simulator and findings showing that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/five-years-on-fate-of-missing-mh370-remains-a-mystery-200629">MH370</a>'s transponders were switched off shortly after the plane left Malaysian airspace.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/families-of-mh370-passengers-urge-malaysia-for-a-fresh-search-200903">Flight MH370</a> became one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries when it disappeared on its way from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/families-of-mh370-passengers-urge-malaysia-for-a-fresh-search-200903">Kuala Lumpur</a> to Beijing on March 8, 2014.

Malaysia, China, and Australia called off a two-year, A$200 million underwater searches in the southern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/five-years-on-fate-of-missing-mh370-remains-a-mystery-200629">Indian Ocean</a> in January 2017 after finding no trace of the aircraft.

A second three-month search, led by US&nbsp;firm Ocean Infinity, ended similarly in May 2018.

Najib lost a general election that month. He is now facing dozens of corruption charges over alleged involvement in a multibillion-dollar scandal at a state fund in which he has plead not guilty.

Malaysia has never ruled out the possibility that missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 could have been downed by a suicidal pilot, the country's former prime minister Najib Razak said on Wednesday.

Malaysia has never ruled out the possibility that missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 could have been downed by a suicidal pilot, the country's former prime minister Najib Razak said on Wednesday. Najib, who was premier when MH370 vanished with 239 people on board nearly six years ago, was responding to remarks by former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott that Malaysian leaders had considered from the outset that flight captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah may have committed mass murder. "My very clear understanding from the very top levels of the Malaysian government is that from very, very early on here, they thought it was a murder-suicide by the pilot," Abbott said in a clip from a Sky News documentary on the tragedy airing Wednesday. Also read: Families of MH370 passengers urge Malaysia for a fresh search Najib told online news portal Free Malaysia Today that Malaysian officials had considered such a scenario during their investigation but had chosen not to make their views public. "It would have been deemed unfair and legally irresponsible since the black boxes and cockpit voice recorders had not been found and hence, there was no conclusive proof whether the pilot was solely or jointly responsible,” Najib was quoted as saying. "Again I must stress that this possible scenario was never ruled out during the search effort and investigations, where no effort was spared." A spokesman for Najib confirmed his remarks. Also see: Five years on, fate of missing MH370 remains mystery Malaysia's transport ministry declined to comment. Authorities had previously said there was nothing suspicious in the captain's background, training or mental health, but did not rule out the possibility that the aircraft had been deliberately taken off course. Najib said there were several reasons for authorities to suspect Zaharie's involvement, including his ownership of a home flight simulator and findings showing that MH370's transponders were switched off shortly after the plane left Malaysian airspace. Flight MH370 became one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries when it disappeared on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. Malaysia, China, and Australia called off a two-year, A$200 million underwater searches in the southern Indian Ocean in January 2017 after finding no trace of the aircraft. A second three-month search, led by US firm Ocean Infinity, ended similarly in May 2018. Najib lost a general election that month. He is now facing dozens of corruption charges over alleged involvement in a multibillion-dollar scandal at a state fund in which he has plead not guilty.

Malaysia never ruled out 'murder-suicide plot' by MH370 pilot, says former PM Najib Razak

The deep-sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended on Tuesday without any trace being found of the plane that vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board, the three countries involved in the search said.

The location of Flight MH370 has become one of the world&#39;s greatest aviation mysteries since the plane disappeared en route to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. &quot;Despite every effort using the best science available ... the search has not been able to locate the aircraft,&quot; Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities said in a statement.

The last search vessel left the area on Tuesday, the three countries said, after scouring 75,000 square mile&nbsp;area of the Indian Ocean sea floor. Malaysia, Australia and China had agreed in July to suspend the search if the plane was not found or new evidence uncovered once that area had been checked.

Australia in December 2016 dismissed an investigators&#39; recommendation to shift the search further north, saying that no new evidence had emerged to support it. A next-of-kin support group called Voice 370 said in a statement investigators could not leave the matter unsolved.

&quot;In our view, extending the search to the new area defined by the experts is an inescapable duty owed to the flying public in the interest of aviation safety,&quot; Voice 370 said. Most of the passengers were from China. The only confirmed traces of the plane have been three pieces of debris found washed up in Mauritius, the French island Reunion and an island off the coast of Tanzania.

As many as 30 other pieces of wreckage were found there and also at beaches in Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa are suspected to have come from the plane.

(Reuters)

The Malaysia Airlines plane vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board

The deep-sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 ended on Tuesday without any trace being found of the plane that vanished in 2014 with 239 people on board, the three countries involved in the search said. The location of Flight MH370 has become one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries since the plane disappeared en route to Beijing from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. "Despite every effort using the best science available ... the search has not been able to locate the aircraft," Malaysian, Australian and Chinese authorities said in a statement. The last search vessel left the area on Tuesday, the three countries said, after scouring 75,000 square mile area of the Indian Ocean sea floor. Malaysia, Australia and China had agreed in July to suspend the search if the plane was not found or new evidence uncovered once that area had been checked. Australia in December 2016 dismissed an investigators' recommendation to shift the search further north, saying that no new evidence had emerged to support it. A next-of-kin support group called Voice 370 said in a statement investigators could not leave the matter unsolved. "In our view, extending the search to the new area defined by the experts is an inescapable duty owed to the flying public in the interest of aviation safety," Voice 370 said. Most of the passengers were from China. The only confirmed traces of the plane have been three pieces of debris found washed up in Mauritius, the French island Reunion and an island off the coast of Tanzania. As many as 30 other pieces of wreckage were found there and also at beaches in Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa are suspected to have come from the plane. (Reuters)

Three years on & with no plane found, search for MH 370 ends