Malaysia signed a deal on Wednesday to pay a US seabed exploration firm up to $70 million if it finds the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft MH370 within 90 days of embarking on a new search in the Southern Indian ocean.

The disappearance of the aircraft en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people aboard ranks among the world&#39;s greatest aviation mysteries.

Australia, China and Malaysia ended a fruitless A$200-million ($157 million) search of a 120,000 sq km area in January last year, despite investigators urging the search be extended to a 25,000-square-km area further to the north.

Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said a Houston-based private firm, Ocean Infinity, would search for MH370 in that 25,000-sq-km priority area on a &quot;no-cure, no-fee&quot; basis, meaning it will only get paid if it finds the plane.

&quot;As we speak, the vessel, Seabed Constructor, is on her way to the search area, taking advantage of favourable weather conditions in the South Indian ocean,&quot; Liow told a news conference. 
The search will begin on January 17, said Ocean Infinity Chief Executive Oliver Plunkett, who attended the signing event.

Ocean Infinity will be paid $20 million if the plane is found within 5,000 sq km, $30 million if it is found within 10,000 square km and $50 million if it is found within an area of 25,000 square km. Beyond that area, Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million, Liow said.

Its priority is to locate the wreckage or the flight and cockpit recorders, and present credible evidence to confirm their location within 90 days, Liow added.

&quot;They cannot take forever or drag it on for another six months or a year.&quot;

&#39;Unique solution&#39;

Ocean Infinity&#39;s vessel carries eight autonomous underwater vehicles that will scour the seabed with scanning equipment for information to be sent back for analysis.

It has 65 crew, including two government representatives drawn from the Malaysian navy.

The ship could complete the search within three or four weeks, and cover up to 60,000 square km in 90 days, or four times faster than earlier efforts, Plunkett told Reuters.

&quot;It was a unique problem that required a unique solution ... We looked at it and said, &#39;Let&#39;s do something different than what other people would do,&#39; and that&#39;s the essence of our business.&quot;

Ocean Infinity&#39;s core business is in the oil and gas industry, as well as subsea exploration services for tasks such as underwater cabling and seabed mapping, he said.

The company&#39;s shareholders would bear the upfront costs of the search, Plunkett added.

Debris from MH370 could provide clues to events on board before the crash. There have been competing theories that the aircraft suffered mechanical failure or was intentionally flown off course.

Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane&#39;s transponder before diverting it thousands of miles out over the Indian Ocean.

At least three pieces of debris collected from sites on Indian Ocean islands and along Africa&#39;s east coast have been confirmed as being from the missing plane.

Ocean Infinity will be paid $20 mn if the plane is found within 5,000 sq km, $30 mn if it is found within 10,000 sq km and $50 mn if it is found within an area of 25,000 sq km. Beyond that area, firm will receive $70 mn

Malaysia signed a deal on Wednesday to pay a US seabed exploration firm up to $70 million if it finds the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft MH370 within 90 days of embarking on a new search in the Southern Indian ocean. The disappearance of the aircraft en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people aboard ranks among the world's greatest aviation mysteries. Australia, China and Malaysia ended a fruitless A$200-million ($157 million) search of a 120,000 sq km area in January last year, despite investigators urging the search be extended to a 25,000-square-km area further to the north. Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said a Houston-based private firm, Ocean Infinity, would search for MH370 in that 25,000-sq-km priority area on a "no-cure, no-fee" basis, meaning it will only get paid if it finds the plane. "As we speak, the vessel, Seabed Constructor, is on her way to the search area, taking advantage of favourable weather conditions in the South Indian ocean," Liow told a news conference. The search will begin on January 17, said Ocean Infinity Chief Executive Oliver Plunkett, who attended the signing event. Ocean Infinity will be paid $20 million if the plane is found within 5,000 sq km, $30 million if it is found within 10,000 square km and $50 million if it is found within an area of 25,000 square km. Beyond that area, Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million, Liow said. Its priority is to locate the wreckage or the flight and cockpit recorders, and present credible evidence to confirm their location within 90 days, Liow added. "They cannot take forever or drag it on for another six months or a year." 'Unique solution' Ocean Infinity's vessel carries eight autonomous underwater vehicles that will scour the seabed with scanning equipment for information to be sent back for analysis. It has 65 crew, including two government representatives drawn from the Malaysian navy. The ship could complete the search within three or four weeks, and cover up to 60,000 square km in 90 days, or four times faster than earlier efforts, Plunkett told Reuters. "It was a unique problem that required a unique solution ... We looked at it and said, 'Let's do something different than what other people would do,' and that's the essence of our business." Ocean Infinity's core business is in the oil and gas industry, as well as subsea exploration services for tasks such as underwater cabling and seabed mapping, he said. The company's shareholders would bear the upfront costs of the search, Plunkett added. Debris from MH370 could provide clues to events on board before the crash. There have been competing theories that the aircraft suffered mechanical failure or was intentionally flown off course. Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane's transponder before diverting it thousands of miles out over the Indian Ocean. At least three pieces of debris collected from sites on Indian Ocean islands and along Africa's east coast have been confirmed as being from the missing plane.

MH370: Malaysia to give $70 million to US firm if plane found in 90 days

Grieving relatives of MH370 passengers will appeal for the hunt for the missing airliner to continue at a meeting between the Australian and Malaysian transport ministers in Perth on Sunday.

Australia, Malaysia and China on Tuesday suspended the deep sea hunt in the southern Indian Ocean almost three years after the Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board.

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&quot;The MH370 next-of-kin implore the government of Malaysia to use this opportunity to urgently consult and reconsider the decision to suspend the search for MH370,&quot; campaign group Voice370 said in a statement.

&quot;Personal letters appealing for a continuation of search from many family members are to be delivered personally to the Malaysia Minister of Transport during his visit to Perth.&quot;

No trace of the plane has been found in the 120,000 square-kilometre (46,000 square miles) designated search zone.

But three fragments recovered on western Indian Ocean shorelines have been confirmed as coming from MH370.

&quot;I understand the disappointment and frustration felt by the families,&quot; Australia&#39;s Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement.

&quot;The tripartite decision to suspend the search in the absence of any credible new evidence leading to the specific location of the aircraft was not taken lightly,&quot; he added.

The meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Liow Tiong Lai was informal, according to the statement.

Both ministers are set to meet the crew of Fugro Equator -- the last ship to leave the search area off Australia&#39;s west coast -- in Perth on Monday.

Chester has left the door open for future operations, saying Wednesday the search could be revived if there is &quot;credible new evidence&quot; pinpointing MH370&#39;s location.

The Voice370 statement pointed out that the Aus$200 million (US$150 million) price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777-200.

(AFP) 
&nbsp;

The search for the Boeing 777 was called off on Tuesday, almost three years after it disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board

Grieving relatives of MH370 passengers will appeal for the hunt for the missing airliner to continue at a meeting between the Australian and Malaysian transport ministers in Perth on Sunday. Australia, Malaysia and China on Tuesday suspended the deep sea hunt in the southern Indian Ocean almost three years after the Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board. A statement from the families pointed out that the US$150 million price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777 × "The MH370 next-of-kin implore the government of Malaysia to use this opportunity to urgently consult and reconsider the decision to suspend the search for MH370," campaign group Voice370 said in a statement. "Personal letters appealing for a continuation of search from many family members are to be delivered personally to the Malaysia Minister of Transport during his visit to Perth." No trace of the plane has been found in the 120,000 square-kilometre (46,000 square miles) designated search zone. But three fragments recovered on western Indian Ocean shorelines have been confirmed as coming from MH370. "I understand the disappointment and frustration felt by the families," Australia's Transport Minister Darren Chester said in a statement. "The tripartite decision to suspend the search in the absence of any credible new evidence leading to the specific location of the aircraft was not taken lightly," he added. The meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Liow Tiong Lai was informal, according to the statement. Both ministers are set to meet the crew of Fugro Equator -- the last ship to leave the search area off Australia's west coast -- in Perth on Monday. Chester has left the door open for future operations, saying Wednesday the search could be revived if there is "credible new evidence" pinpointing MH370's location. The Voice370 statement pointed out that the Aus$200 million (US$150 million) price tag of the underwater hunt was still less than the cost of the Boeing 777-200. (AFP)

MH370 families plead for search to continue

Relatives of MH370 passengers will travel to Madagascar next month in hopes of re-kindling efforts to find and recover seaborne debris from the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines jet, next-of-kin association Voice370 said on Monday.

The Boeing 777 jet was carrying 239 passengers and crew when it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.&nbsp;

It is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean, but an extensive deep-sea hunt off Australia&#39;s west coast has so far failed to find a single piece of debris from the plane, with the search set to end by early 2017.

Voice370 has repeatedly complained about the lack of a coordinated search in the western Indian Ocean and along the African coast despite the recovery&nbsp;of several pieces of debris which were either confirmed or declared highly likely to have come from MH370.

&quot;Despite these hugely important finds, there has been no systematic, organised search by any responsible party,&quot; a statement by the group said.

&quot;This leaves the NOKs no other choice except to take it upon ourselves to do something to find answers and closure.&quot;

Seven Voice370 next-of-kin will visit Madagascar December 3-11 to raise awareness, urge search efforts by local organisations and the public, and look for debris themselves.

Many families are sceptical the right area is being searched, and Voice370 has previously called for a full public re-examination of satellite data that was used to determine the site of the suspected crash.

The scattered seaborne fragments of MH370 found closer to Africa confirmed the plane went down but have shed no light on what caused the jumbo jet to inexplicably divert off-course.

The first piece of debris found from MH370 -- a two-metre wing part known as a flaperon -- washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion in July 2015.

Since then a range of debris linked to the flight has been found along western Indian Ocean shorelines.

Amateur investigator, Blaine Gibson, a lawyer from Seattle who has travelled the world trying to solve the MH370 mystery, has also recovered other possible MH370 debris, but authorities have yet to confirm if any of the pieces belong to the missing plane.

A report released this month by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading the search, said the plane was likely out of control when it plunged into the ocean with its wing flaps not prepared for landing, casting doubt on theories a pilot was still in charge.

(AFP)

Families will travel to Madagascar next month in hopes of re-kindling efforts to find and recover seaborne debris from the jet

Relatives of MH370 passengers will travel to Madagascar next month in hopes of re-kindling efforts to find and recover seaborne debris from the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines jet, next-of-kin association Voice370 said on Monday. The Boeing 777 jet was carrying 239 passengers and crew when it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. It is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean, but an extensive deep-sea hunt off Australia's west coast has so far failed to find a single piece of debris from the plane, with the search set to end by early 2017. Voice370 has repeatedly complained about the lack of a coordinated search in the western Indian Ocean and along the African coast despite the recovery of several pieces of debris which were either confirmed or declared highly likely to have come from MH370. "Despite these hugely important finds, there has been no systematic, organised search by any responsible party," a statement by the group said. "This leaves the NOKs no other choice except to take it upon ourselves to do something to find answers and closure." Seven Voice370 next-of-kin will visit Madagascar December 3-11 to raise awareness, urge search efforts by local organisations and the public, and look for debris themselves. Many families are sceptical the right area is being searched, and Voice370 has previously called for a full public re-examination of satellite data that was used to determine the site of the suspected crash. The scattered seaborne fragments of MH370 found closer to Africa confirmed the plane went down but have shed no light on what caused the jumbo jet to inexplicably divert off-course. The first piece of debris found from MH370 -- a two-metre wing part known as a flaperon -- washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion in July 2015. Since then a range of debris linked to the flight has been found along western Indian Ocean shorelines. Amateur investigator, Blaine Gibson, a lawyer from Seattle who has travelled the world trying to solve the MH370 mystery, has also recovered other possible MH370 debris, but authorities have yet to confirm if any of the pieces belong to the missing plane. A report released this month by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which is leading the search, said the plane was likely out of control when it plunged into the ocean with its wing flaps not prepared for landing, casting doubt on theories a pilot was still in charge. (AFP)

Fed-up MH370 families to hunt for debris in Madagascar

A report by the Australian safety investigator leading the search into the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 says the aircraft descended rapidly after running out of fuel with no human intervention, Reuters reported.

MH370 disappeared in March 2014 on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with a total of 239 passengers and crew onboard in what is being dubbed one the world&rsquo;s greatest aviation mysteries.

The report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released on Wednesday said analysis of debris from a wing flap showed the aircraft was not prepped for a landing.

It said satellite communications from the aircraft were consistent with it being in a &quot;high and increasing rate of descent&quot; when it vanished.

The 28-page report contains new end-of-flight and drift simulations that suggest experts believe the current search area is the most likely to contain the crash site.

The report comes at the start of a three-day meeting of international experts to develop potential plans to continue the search.

ATSB&rsquo;s search director &nbsp;Peter Foley told the &nbsp;media on Wednesday that analysis of a wing flap had &quot;enhanced certainty&quot; about what had happened.

&quot;It was probably in a non-extended position which means the aircraft wasn&rsquo;t configured for a landing or a ditching,&quot; said Foley, referring to the practice of extending wing flaps to allow an aircraft to travel safely at slower speeds in preparation for a landing, Reuters reported.

&quot;You can draw your own conclusions as to whether that means someone was in control or not.&quot;

Authorities believe the plane had no &quot;inputs&quot; during its final descent, meaning there was no pilot or no conscious pilot. They believe it was on auto-pilot and spiralled when it ran out of fuel.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for the families of four Australian victims has told Reuters that Malaysia Airlines has agreed to release information about the missing plane as part of a compensation case.

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

 
&nbsp;

That probably means the plane ran out of fuel and then spiralled out of control

A report by the Australian safety investigator leading the search into the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 says the aircraft descended rapidly after running out of fuel with no human intervention, Reuters reported. MH370 disappeared in March 2014 on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with a total of 239 passengers and crew onboard in what is being dubbed one the world’s greatest aviation mysteries. The report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) released on Wednesday said analysis of debris from a wing flap showed the aircraft was not prepped for a landing. It said satellite communications from the aircraft were consistent with it being in a "high and increasing rate of descent" when it vanished. The 28-page report contains new end-of-flight and drift simulations that suggest experts believe the current search area is the most likely to contain the crash site. The report comes at the start of a three-day meeting of international experts to develop potential plans to continue the search. ATSB’s search director Peter Foley told the media on Wednesday that analysis of a wing flap had "enhanced certainty" about what had happened. "It was probably in a non-extended position which means the aircraft wasn’t configured for a landing or a ditching," said Foley, referring to the practice of extending wing flaps to allow an aircraft to travel safely at slower speeds in preparation for a landing, Reuters reported. "You can draw your own conclusions as to whether that means someone was in control or not." Authorities believe the plane had no "inputs" during its final descent, meaning there was no pilot or no conscious pilot. They believe it was on auto-pilot and spiralled when it ran out of fuel. Meanwhile, a lawyer for the families of four Australian victims has told Reuters that Malaysia Airlines has agreed to release information about the missing plane as part of a compensation case. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

MH370 report says plane in 'high and increasing rate of descent' when it vanished

A piece of wing debris found in Mauritius is from MH370, Australia said Friday, the latest fragment discovered along western Indian Ocean shorelines that has been linked to the missing passenger jet.

The composite debris, recovered from the Indian Ocean island nation in May, &quot;was a trailing edge section of Boeing 777 left, outboard flap, originating from the Malaysian Airlines aircraft registered 9M-MRO (MH370)&quot;, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said in a report.

The government agency is leading the search for the Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines plane -- which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 passengers and crew -- in the southern Indian Ocean far off Western Australia`s coast.

&quot;A part number was identified on a section of the debris,&quot; the ATSB said, adding that another &quot;unique work order number&quot; assigned by the flap manufacturer corresponded to MH370.

The report came two weeks after the ATSB said officials had yet to link debris recovered from Madagascar by US amateur investigator Blaine Gibson to MH370 or a Boeing 777.

Officials also said that the debris found in Madagascar was not exposed to fire, quashing earlier speculation.

No trace of MH370 has been recovered from the current 120,000-square-kilometre (46,000-square-mile) search zone, fuelling speculation it may have crashed outside the area.

But several pieces of debris linked to the flight have been discovered along western Indian Ocean shorelines -- in Mozambique, South Africa and Mauritius.

The first piece found was a two-metre (six-foot) wing part known as a flaperon that washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion in July 2015.

More than 110,000 square kilometres of the search area has been scoured so far, Australia said last month, adding that the hunt was set to be completed in December.

(WION)

The debris, recovered from the Indian Ocean island nation in May, 'was a trailing edge section' of the plane that went missing in 2014

A piece of wing debris found in Mauritius is from MH370, Australia said Friday, the latest fragment discovered along western Indian Ocean shorelines that has been linked to the missing passenger jet. The composite debris, recovered from the Indian Ocean island nation in May, "was a trailing edge section of Boeing 777 left, outboard flap, originating from the Malaysian Airlines aircraft registered 9M-MRO (MH370)", the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said in a report. The government agency is leading the search for the Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines plane -- which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 passengers and crew -- in the southern Indian Ocean far off Western Australia`s coast. "A part number was identified on a section of the debris," the ATSB said, adding that another "unique work order number" assigned by the flap manufacturer corresponded to MH370. The report came two weeks after the ATSB said officials had yet to link debris recovered from Madagascar by US amateur investigator Blaine Gibson to MH370 or a Boeing 777. Officials also said that the debris found in Madagascar was not exposed to fire, quashing earlier speculation. No trace of MH370 has been recovered from the current 120,000-square-kilometre (46,000-square-mile) search zone, fuelling speculation it may have crashed outside the area. But several pieces of debris linked to the flight have been discovered along western Indian Ocean shorelines -- in Mozambique, South Africa and Mauritius. The first piece found was a two-metre (six-foot) wing part known as a flaperon that washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion in July 2015. More than 110,000 square kilometres of the search area has been scoured so far, Australia said last month, adding that the hunt was set to be completed in December. (WION)

Debris found in Mauritius from MH370: Australia

The search for the missing Malaysian airliner MH370 is to be suspended according to the Chinese, Australian, and Malaysian transport ministers, who announced the statement on Friday in Kuala Lumpur. 
 
The ministers said in the announcement that investigators have examined 90 per cent of the probable crash sites around the Indian Ocean, and if no significant evidence is found in the remaining 10 per cent, the search will be suspended. 
 
&quot;Today in our tripartite meeting, and in the absence of creditable new evidence, Australia, China and Malaysia have collectively decided to suspend the search upon the completion of the 120,000 square kilometer search area,&quot; said Dato Sri Liow Tiong Lai, the Malaysian transport minister. 
 
The three countries have conducted a search, lasting almost two and a half years since the plane disappeared from radar screens while en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, with 239 passengers and crew on board. 
 
The Australian transport minister Darren Chester delivered his condolences to the family members of the passengers on board the aircraft. 
 
&quot;Today&#39;s announcement is very significant not only for our three countries, but more importantly for the family and friends of those on board the aircraft. I take this opportunity on behalf of all Australians, to honor the memory of the passengers and the crew on board MH370 and acknowledge the enormous loss felt by their loved ones,&quot; he said. 
 
The announcement dealt a blow to some of the family members whose loved ones disappeared with the airplane. 
 
&quot;What happen on the plane it could have been prevented, and now they&rsquo;re talking about a possible glide landing and if it was a controlled ditching and it was something to do with terrorism then you want to know what&rsquo;s happening. Cause no one came up and made a claim, could be all part of some bigger plan we don&#39;t know, and what we need to find out is to recover the plane look at the black boxes,&quot; said Grace Nathan, daughter of a passenger. 
 
The three ministers said that the announcement does not mean the three countries are giving up, and the search will resume if new, credible evidence surfaces. 
 
(Reuters)

The investigators have inspected 90% of the probable crash sites and plan to close the file if nothing notable is found in the remaining 10%

The search for the missing Malaysian airliner MH370 is to be suspended according to the Chinese, Australian, and Malaysian transport ministers, who announced the statement on Friday in Kuala Lumpur. The ministers said in the announcement that investigators have examined 90 per cent of the probable crash sites around the Indian Ocean, and if no significant evidence is found in the remaining 10 per cent, the search will be suspended. "Today in our tripartite meeting, and in the absence of creditable new evidence, Australia, China and Malaysia have collectively decided to suspend the search upon the completion of the 120,000 square kilometer search area," said Dato Sri Liow Tiong Lai, the Malaysian transport minister. The three countries have conducted a search, lasting almost two and a half years since the plane disappeared from radar screens while en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur, with 239 passengers and crew on board. The Australian transport minister Darren Chester delivered his condolences to the family members of the passengers on board the aircraft. "Today's announcement is very significant not only for our three countries, but more importantly for the family and friends of those on board the aircraft. I take this opportunity on behalf of all Australians, to honor the memory of the passengers and the crew on board MH370 and acknowledge the enormous loss felt by their loved ones," he said. The announcement dealt a blow to some of the family members whose loved ones disappeared with the airplane. "What happen on the plane it could have been prevented, and now they’re talking about a possible glide landing and if it was a controlled ditching and it was something to do with terrorism then you want to know what’s happening. Cause no one came up and made a claim, could be all part of some bigger plan we don't know, and what we need to find out is to recover the plane look at the black boxes," said Grace Nathan, daughter of a passenger. The three ministers said that the announcement does not mean the three countries are giving up, and the search will resume if new, credible evidence surfaces. (Reuters)

Hopes dashed as search for Malaysian aircraft MH370 may be suspended

The pilot who flew missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which is believed to have gone off route and crashed in the Indian Ocean, conducted a simulation of a similar path just weeks prior, New York magazine reported. 
 
Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the highly respected airman at the helm of the plane, used an elaborate home-built flight simulator to steer himself over the Strait of Malacca and into the remote southern Indian ocean, a course with striking resemblance to the route MH370 is believed to have taken. 
 
The finding, which casts a shadow of suspicion over the 53-year-old pilot, was published on Friday by New York magazine, which obtained a confidential document from Malaysian police investigating the incident. 
 
According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data points from the flight simulator on Zaharie&#39;s hard drive. 
 
&quot;We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest,&quot; the document said, according to New York magazine. 
 
Although the paths are similar, the simulated flight&#39;s endpoint is located some 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) from the area where the plane is believed to have gone down. 
 
The Boeing 777 vanished for unknown reasons on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard mostly Chinese nationals. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. 
 
The Malaysian government continues to maintain that it does not know what caused the incident. 
 
At the time Zaharie, an opposition supporter came under scrutiny amid unsubstantiated reports that he was upset over a jail sentence handed to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, hours before the plane took off or was suicidal due to personal problems. 
 
But his family and friends strongly reject such claims as baseless. 
 
News of the simulated flight came the same day that Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, said that hope of finding the flight&#39;s final resting place is &quot;fading&quot; and that the massive hunt will be suspended if nothing turns up in the suspected crash zone. 
 
(AFP)

The FBI has managed to recover deleted data points from the flight simulator on the pilot's hard drive

The pilot who flew missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which is believed to have gone off route and crashed in the Indian Ocean, conducted a simulation of a similar path just weeks prior, New York magazine reported. Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the highly respected airman at the helm of the plane, used an elaborate home-built flight simulator to steer himself over the Strait of Malacca and into the remote southern Indian ocean, a course with striking resemblance to the route MH370 is believed to have taken. The finding, which casts a shadow of suspicion over the 53-year-old pilot, was published on Friday by New York magazine, which obtained a confidential document from Malaysian police investigating the incident. According to the document, the FBI recovered deleted data points from the flight simulator on Zaharie's hard drive. "We found a flight path, that lead to the Southern Indian Ocean, among the numerous other flight paths charted on the flight simulator, that could be of interest," the document said, according to New York magazine. Although the paths are similar, the simulated flight's endpoint is located some 900 miles (1,450 kilometers) from the area where the plane is believed to have gone down. The Boeing 777 vanished for unknown reasons on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard mostly Chinese nationals. It remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. The Malaysian government continues to maintain that it does not know what caused the incident. At the time Zaharie, an opposition supporter came under scrutiny amid unsubstantiated reports that he was upset over a jail sentence handed to Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, hours before the plane took off or was suicidal due to personal problems. But his family and friends strongly reject such claims as baseless. News of the simulated flight came the same day that Malaysia, Australia and China, the three nations leading the search, said that hope of finding the flight's final resting place is "fading" and that the massive hunt will be suspended if nothing turns up in the suspected crash zone. (AFP)

MH370 pilot flew similar route on home simulator few weeks prior to final flight: Report

Hopes of finding flight MH370&#39;s final resting place are &quot;fading&quot;, and the massive three-nation search for the doomed jet will be suspended if nothing is found in the suspected crash zone, Malaysia, Australia and China said today. 
 
With the designated search area due to be fully scanned within weeks, transport ministers from the three countries made their announcement after holding talks on the future of the unprecedented deep-sea hunt for the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane. 
 
&quot;With less than 10,000 square kilometres of the high priority search area remaining to be searched, ministers acknowledged that despite the best efforts of all involved the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading,&quot; said a joint statement after the meeting in Malaysia&#39;s administrative capital Putrajaya. 
 
Unless &quot;credible new evidence&quot; turns up by the time the current operations are completed, &quot;the search would not end, but be suspended&quot; until solid new information pointing to a crash site emerges, they said. 
 
&quot;The suspension does not mean the termination of the search. Ministers reiterated that the aspiration to locate MH370 has not been abandoned,&quot; said the statement by meeting host Liow Tiong Lai, Australia&#39;s Darren Chester and China&#39;s Yang Chuantang. 
 
The use of the term &quot;suspended&quot; was an apparent nod to anguished families who have stepped up demands recently for authorities not to fully abandon efforts to locate the aircraft. 
 
The Boeing 777 vanished March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals, in what remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. 
 
The Australian-led operation is scouring the seafloor within a 120,000-square-kilometre belt of remote Indian Ocean where authorities believe the passenger jet went down. 
 
(AFP)

Until new information pointing to a crash site emerges, the hunt will be suspended but not terminated

Hopes of finding flight MH370's final resting place are "fading", and the massive three-nation search for the doomed jet will be suspended if nothing is found in the suspected crash zone, Malaysia, Australia and China said today. With the designated search area due to be fully scanned within weeks, transport ministers from the three countries made their announcement after holding talks on the future of the unprecedented deep-sea hunt for the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane. "With less than 10,000 square kilometres of the high priority search area remaining to be searched, ministers acknowledged that despite the best efforts of all involved the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading," said a joint statement after the meeting in Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya. Unless "credible new evidence" turns up by the time the current operations are completed, "the search would not end, but be suspended" until solid new information pointing to a crash site emerges, they said. "The suspension does not mean the termination of the search. Ministers reiterated that the aspiration to locate MH370 has not been abandoned," said the statement by meeting host Liow Tiong Lai, Australia's Darren Chester and China's Yang Chuantang. The use of the term "suspended" was an apparent nod to anguished families who have stepped up demands recently for authorities not to fully abandon efforts to locate the aircraft. The Boeing 777 vanished March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, mostly Chinese nationals, in what remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history. The Australian-led operation is scouring the seafloor within a 120,000-square-kilometre belt of remote Indian Ocean where authorities believe the passenger jet went down. (AFP)

MH370 hopes 'fading', search to be suspended

A new piece of debris found in Tanzania will be examined for a possible link to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Malaysian state news agency Bernama cited the country&#39;s transport minister as saying on Saturday. 
 
&quot;This debris is quite large... only if it is confirmed to be that of Boeing 777 will we send an investigation team there to study whether it really belonged to MH370 or not,&quot; Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai was quoted as saying. 
 
Liow said recent discoveries of bags and other personal items found in Madagascar were not connected to MH370. 
 
Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. 
 
Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane&#39;s transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course over the Indian Ocean. 
 
A piece of the plane washed up on the French island of Reunion in July 2015. 
 
(Reuters)

Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai said, only if it is confirmed to be that of Boeing 777 will an investigation team be sent

A new piece of debris found in Tanzania will be examined for a possible link to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Malaysian state news agency Bernama cited the country's transport minister as saying on Saturday. "This debris is quite large... only if it is confirmed to be that of Boeing 777 will we send an investigation team there to study whether it really belonged to MH370 or not," Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai was quoted as saying. Liow said recent discoveries of bags and other personal items found in Madagascar were not connected to MH370. Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane's transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course over the Indian Ocean. A piece of the plane washed up on the French island of Reunion in July 2015. (Reuters)

Debris in Tanzania to be examined for possible link to missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370

Malaysia said it will host a two-day meeting with Australia and China beginning Monday to discuss next steps in the fruitless search for missing flight MH370. 
 
Malaysian state-run Bernama news agency late yesterday quoted a transport ministry official saying the meeting will focus on &quot;the future direction of the search operation for MH370&quot;. 
 
The three countries have said previously they will call off the Australian-lead hunt for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 if nothing is found in a designated search area in the remote Indian Ocean. 
 
So far 105,000 square kilometres (40,500 square miles) of the 120,000-square-kilometre seafloor search zone has been covered without success. 
 
Recent bad weather has delayed the expected completion of the search to August, Australian authorities said earlier this month. 
 
The jet disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014 and is presumed to have crashed into the sea far off Western Australia&#39;s coast. 
 
Several pieces of debris have been found thousands of kilometres from the suspected crash area but they have so far shed no light on what caused the disaster.&nbsp; 
(AFP)

The three countries are trying to work out the future direction of the 'fruitless search'

Malaysia said it will host a two-day meeting with Australia and China beginning Monday to discuss next steps in the fruitless search for missing flight MH370. Malaysian state-run Bernama news agency late yesterday quoted a transport ministry official saying the meeting will focus on "the future direction of the search operation for MH370". The three countries have said previously they will call off the Australian-lead hunt for the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 if nothing is found in a designated search area in the remote Indian Ocean. So far 105,000 square kilometres (40,500 square miles) of the 120,000-square-kilometre seafloor search zone has been covered without success. Recent bad weather has delayed the expected completion of the search to August, Australian authorities said earlier this month. The jet disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew on board in March 2014 and is presumed to have crashed into the sea far off Western Australia's coast. Several pieces of debris have been found thousands of kilometres from the suspected crash area but they have so far shed no light on what caused the disaster. (AFP)

Missing MH370 flight: Malaysia, Australia, China to meet on next step

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