Exactly 9 years have passed on March 8 since the flight of the Malaysian company Malaysia Airlines mysteriously disappeared on the route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The families of the victims of the fateful MH370 flight are pushing for a second search operation as a tech company claims to have new evidence shedding light on the mysterious disappearance of the Boeing.
The families of those killed aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 are calling on the Malaysian government to give the go-ahead for a new search for the plane, which went missing nine years ago.
As The Guardian recalls, the disappearance of the plane, which was carrying 12 Malaysian crew members and 227 passengers from 14 different countries (including Russia), has become the biggest mystery in aviation after the disappearance of the liner in the above the South China Sea during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
After a three-year search coordinated by Malaysia, China and Australia completed in January 2017, no conclusion has been reached on what happened to the missing flight MH370. This led to the emergence of a variety of theories – including conspiracy – about what happened to the Boeing. According to one version, the plane was deliberately destroyed by its pilot.
US marine robotics company Ocean Infinity conducted a second unsuccessful search for the plane in the Indian Ocean in 2018, but says it now has new evidence that could lead to the discovery of the plane.
Voice370, a group of relatives of those on board, is calling on Malaysian authorities to support another search for Ocean Infinity.
“As loved ones of passengers and crew on board attempt to rebuild our lives, the threat to global aviation security remains an urgent concern,” the group said in a statement. “As long as we remain in the dark about what happened to MH370, we can never prevent a similar tragedy. Accordingly, we believe it is of paramount importance that the search for MH370 be completed. .”
Ocean Infinity chief executive Oliver Plunkett told Guardian Australia the company was “actively involved” in trying to revive research.
“At this stage, we cannot say with certainty when new research will be conducted, as discussions are ongoing and there is still much work to be done,” Plunkett said in a statement. “We expect our experienced team and marine robotics to be briefed later this year or in 2024.”
At the annual MH370 memorial event held this week on Zoom, Oliver Plunkett told his family members he would contact the Malaysian government “in the coming weeks” with further evidence, although he did not specify what the company had found.
The Malaysian government has repeatedly said it will not support the research unless compelling new evidence is presented.
“Over the past 12 months, we have made real progress, working with many people to increase our knowledge of the events of 2014 and ultimately improve our chances of research success,” Plunkett said.
He said the company offered to search on a “no search, no fee” basis.
“We will work hard and do our best to make this happen, with the support of the Malaysian government,” he said. “I firmly believe that is a realistic goal.”
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Locke confirmed the government’s position. “Since 2014, Malaysia and its international partners have covered millions of square kilometers through air, sea and submarine operations. As transport minister, I will not immediately close the book on this tragedy, Locke said. “I reiterate the government’s position that search operations will be given due attention should new credible information emerge about the aircraft’s final resting place.”
The mystery continues to weigh heavily on family members, writes The Guardian. Indian KS Narendran, a Chennai-based consultant whose wife piloted the MH370, says now is the time to “remember the unfinished business, which is to find out what really happened”.
“Our dearest loved ones are gone. They are no longer with us,” he said at a memorial event. “However, after all that has been done and said, we don’t know what is ‘happened. We are in the same place as March 8, 2014. For all of us, finding answers remains a crucial issue.
Since the disappearance of MH370, more than 20 wrecks believed to be from the plane have washed up on the African coast and on the islands of the Indian Ocean, recalls The Guardian.
