BANGKOK: It has been a little over two years since Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared in thin air, taking 239 lives with it. While countries from different corners pitched together to, launching search operations in the vast ocean, last week's announcement said the search for the jetliner will be suspended, in effect, called off, making it a cold case.
The Boeing 777-200ER vanished during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014. Investigating officials believed it turned back west and then south, before dropping into the Indian Ocean west of Australia, where most of the search was carried out. While the Malaysian government concluded that it was steered off course deliberately, the incident gave birth to several conspiracy theories, including one that said the jet was abducted by aliens.
Businessman from Kuala Lumpur, Tony Wong said, "I am not surprised it's coming to an end without any answers. People are slowly forgetting the incident. No one will ever know the truth." Over in China, relatives of passengers roundly denounced the decision. They still don't seem ready to think about the finality of it all. Mother of one of the Flight 370 passengers, Hu Xiulan said, "They are actually just playing with words. Suspension means termination to us. We strongly demand a re-investigation into how the plane went missing, and there is no excuse for the suspension of the search."
Decision to suspend the search that endured through damaged equipment and punishing weather, was made jointly by Malaysia, Australia, and China. They had together, pitched in a total of $135 million, searching a 46,300 square mile area. While the governments involved did not explicitly say they were ending the search, the likely of them to continue unless specific new evidence is found, is very low. Officials said the search in its current incarnation will not end immediately, it could last into the winter months.
Western Australia University oceanographer, Charitha Pattiarichi said, "We can send spacecraft to Jupiter, Saturn and Mars to see their surface, but we can't send a craft to the bottom of the ocean to look at our own surface." He said the pressure on the authorities suggests a breather from the search might actually be the best approach. "It's probably good to pause and then take stock of things. They can try again if there's some better data or better technology."
