By P Prem Kumar
KUALA LUMPUR
Malaysia Airlines – the operator of missing flight MH370 – says it remains hopeful that the ill-fated aircraft will eventually be located, as hundreds of the passengers' next-of-kins expressed anger and frustration over Tuesday’s decision by a tripartite committee to cease all search efforts.
Hundreds of MH370 passengers expressed their emotions social networking sites and statements over yesterday’s decision by the committee – made up of Malaysia, and Australia – to cease MH370 search operations after completing the initially earmarked 120,000 square kilometers.
Jacquita Gonzales, of Flight MH370 inflight supervisor Patrick Gomes, told Anadolu Agency that the suspension was made abruptly, providing no closure to the family members or the various investigations of the missing aircraft.
She questioned why the tripartite committee failed to take heed of the MH370 interim report, which suggested that the main aircraft body might be 25,000 square kilometers away from the current search area.
"We are still puzzled by what happened to the aircraft. At one end, the search has been ceased while at the other, [the interim] report suggested a different search area," she said in a telephone interview.
Selamat Omar, the father of MH370’s flight engineer Mohd Khairul Amri Selamat, echoed this view.
He said the tripartite committee must explain why it decided to stop the search operations while the interim report suggested for deepening search efforts.
"It is funny when the search team has given them new areas, and these are the people that they are working with and now, it seems they don't trust their own findings.
"They have searched all this for nearly three years. Why not go there and search the recommended 25,000 square kilometers and give it a last try, one last time? If they can't find anything, then they can suspend it," he stressed.
A need for closure
Nur Laila Ngah, the wife of MH370 steward Wan Swaid Wan Ismail, said the tripartite are obliged to search for the aircraft indefinitely, as it involves 239 lives and their families.
"Closure is also needed for the entire country and aviation industry. How can they just close the chapter?" she said.
also appeared to be skeptical that the authorities would resume the search.
"Even with so many clues and debris found, they can still suspend the search...I doubt they will resume the search even when the time comes," she added.
In a statement Wednesday, Malaysia Airlines said it remains hopeful that in the near future, new and significant information will come to light and the aircraft will eventually be located.
"We share the sorrow that the search has not produced the outcome that everyone had hoped for," the airline said.
34 months of efforts
Search efforts for MH370, carrying 239 passengers and crew on board en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, commenced hours after the aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014.
"The airline appreciates the untiring efforts that have been put into the search for MH370 by many brave men and women from around the world.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are affected by this tragedy. We've lost a part of our family and they will forever be remembered," said Malaysia Airlines.
MH370 has yet to be found despite massive search operations in the southern Indian Ocean where the aircraft was believed to have ended its flight after diverting from its original route.
The search and rescue mission involved some 160 assets as well as experts from 25 countries.
To date, at least six pieces of aircraft debris found along Africa’s east coast have been confirmed as “almost certainly” coming from MH370.
After a 10-month intensive undersea search for the vanished flight, in January 2015 Malaysia declared that MH370 was lost in an accident, killing all passengers.
The decision to call off the search mission followed 34 months of intense search efforts yet without having discovered any major clue to locate the aircraft, the committee said, adding that current search assets have completed the earmarked 120,000 square kilometers in Southern Indian Ocean.
The committee also said despite efforts using the best science available, cutting-edge technology, as well as and advice from highly skilled professionals who are the best in their field, search operations have been not successful in locating the aircraft.
