Heartbreaking explanation search for missing MH370 plane halted suddenly

Authorities said 'Whether or not it will be found will be subject to the search, nobody can anticipate' referring to the plane's remains.
The latest search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane by a marine robotics company has come to an abrupt halt due to seasonal conditions as heartbroken families grapple with grief a decade on.
Malaysia's transport minister, Anthony Loke, announced a temporary halt to the search telling AFP: "They have stopped the operation for the time being, they will resume the search at the end of this year." He made it clear that the time of year made the search impossible, although the exact reason this seasonal change has thrown off the search was not made obvious. He added: "Right now, it's not the season."
‌
The Boeing 777, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, known as Flight MH370, disappeared with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing March 8, 2014, sparking one of the most baffling mysteries in aviation history. It also remains the deadliest single case of an aircraft disappearance. This pause comes shortly after officials had announced the resumption of the search, following previous extensive but fruitless efforts across the Indian Ocean.
Last month, on the 11th anniversary of the flight's disappearance, family of the Chinese passengers congregated outside government buildings and the Malaysian embassy in Beijing. Those present at the vigil demanded, "Give us back our loved ones!". Other devastated families held banners posing the heart-rending question, "When will the 11 years of waiting and torment end?".
‌
An initial search led by Australia spanned 120,000sq km (46,300sq miles) over three years, yielding little more than a few fragments of debris. Ocean Infinity, a maritime exploration company from the UK and US, undertook an unsuccessful quest in 2018 and agreed to another attempt this year. The firm's latest mission operated under a "no find, no fee" arrangement, with the Malaysian government agreeing to pay only if the aircraft is located.
Loke remained cautious about the outcome, stating in early April: "Whether or not it will be found will be subject to the search, nobody can anticipate," referring to the plane's remains.
The disappearance of MH370 has sparked a myriad of theories, from the plausible to the absurd – including speculation that seasoned pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah hijacked the aircraft. None of these have been proven, but thecause remains unknown.
However, one conclusive report published in 2018 highlighted lapses by air traffic control and confirmed that the flight path was altered by hand. Despite the detailed 495-page investigation, authorities still have no clear explanation for the disappearance and could not discount the possibility that someone apart from the pilots re-routed the plane.
Families of those aboard the ill-fated MH370 have persisted in their pursuit for clarity from Malaysian officials. Chinese nationals made up two-thirds of the passengers, with others hailing from Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and various countries.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

• Daily Mail​

Bizarre odor sparks panic on long-distance Air France flight bound for Brazil

A suspicious smell aboard a transatlantic Air France flight sparked panic and forced the plane to make an emergency landing on Monday. Flight AF460 departed from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Monday at 10:23am bound for Brazil's São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo. About an hour into the flight, passengers the crew reported an 'unusual odor in the cabin' that smelled like something burning, according to French media reports. After the crew inspected the galley in the aircraft's executive area but failed to find the source of the odor, the plane's captain alerted air-traffic control. The Boeing 777-328 was flying 29,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean when it was diverted to Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport in Bordeaux, France. The aircraft, which was carrying 252 passengers, made an emergency landing at 12:25pm without any issues. Air France did not respond to the Daily Mail's request for information on the source of the smell. A video filmed by Gustavo Reis, the former mayor of the Brazilian city of Jaguariúna, claimed to showed fuel being dumped from the plane to reduce the aircraft's weight and provide a safe landing. 'Return flight problems, plane had to dump fuel in the air and make emergency landing in Bordeaux,' read a caption on Reis' Instagram Story. A separate video posted by Reis showed firefighters inspecting the galley as he and other passengers waited to deplane. Air France dispatched a new aircraft to Bordeaux later in the day to fly the passengers back to Paris, where another plan would take them to São Paulo. 'Customers were assisted by Air France sales teams at the stopover, who offered them assistance and re-routing solutions as quickly as possible,' the airline said in a statement. 'We regret the inconvenience caused by this situation and reaffirm that the safety of customers and flights is an absolute priority.' The scare occurred the same day an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for New Delhi had to return to Hong Kong just 15 minutes after takeoff due to a mechanical issue. Both incidents occurred just four days after an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crashed moments after taking off from an airport in Ahmedabad. The plane was bound for London with 242 people on board and slammed into several buildings. All but one passenger was killed, along with about 30 people on the ground.

Scottish Sun

4 days ago

• Scottish Sun

I bought a trampoline for the local kids to enjoy but my spiteful neighbour made us rip it down – they lead a sad life

'There was no discussion. We want to see if we can get this overturned. The children are all upset by this' BOUNCE ON I bought a trampoline for the local kids to enjoy but my spiteful neighbour made us rip it down – they lead a sad life Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GRANDMA claims she has to pull down her trampoline after a 'spiteful' neighbour complained to the council about kids bouncing on it. Lorraine Roberts bought a trampoline for children on her estate in Southampton, Hampshire, and erected it on council-owned common area in February. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The grandma claims she had to pull down the trampoline after a neighbour complained to the council Credit: Kennedy News 2 Lorraine bought the trampoline for the kids on her estate Credit: Kennedy News The 67-year-old believed all her neighbours were happy with the 16-foot equipment until she received a call from Southampton City Council last month [May 19]. Grandma-of-ten Lorraine says staff told her an unknown neighbour had complained about the 'noise and mess' children make while playing on it 'all day, every day'. She was reportedly then ordered to take it down from the grassy area before it is forcibly removed on 'health and safety' grounds. Shocked Lorraine admits the children can be noisy while playing but says she lives just a 'couple feet away' and orders anyone off the trampoline by 8pm. She's since described the neighbour's complaint as 'gutless' and believes the residents should've been consulted before the decision was made to ban the equipment. The grandma said the local children are 'disappointed and upset' over the trampoline's removal and she remains hopeful the decision can be overturned. Southampton City Council say play equipment such as trampolines present a 'significant health and safety risk' so are banned on council-owned shared areas. Lorraine said: "Just over a year ago, one of my neighbours put a trampoline on a shared area of grass because a lot of kids play there but it was quite flimsy. "I've got grandchildren that play on the close so I said I'd buy a bigger, sturdier one. "Everybody loved it. Kids were on it all day, every day. It keeps them off their iPads and PlayStations." Shocking moment nightmare neighbour 'Chinese spy' haunt family in hedge dispute Although the Grandma admitted the kids are noisy on the trampoline, as far as she's concerned "they're going to be noisy either way." "I didn't know anyone had any issue with it. I thought the neighbours were happy with it. "We all think it's spineless how [the neighbour] didn't say anything to our face. They're gutless and we've got to live with them." Lorraine insists it's the residents' roles to take responsibility for the children, not the council. She says the kids will still cause noise and mess without the trampoline but now they don't have anything to play on. Lorraine said: "I was quite shocked when [the council] said they'd received a complaint from one of the neighbours. Why didn't they approach us? "They said it was a health and safety issue but I said you're not responsible, we are. We take responsibility for the children. "They said it's got to come down. I said no and she said if you don't take it down we will. "I was really disappointed for the children's sake. I just like the children having something to play with. "The complaint was about the noise and mess but you're still going to get that without the trampoline but now they won't have anywhere to play. "The council should've come round, had a meeting with the whole close and asked what we all thought instead of just saying 'take it down'. "There was no discussion. We want to see if we can get this overturned. The children are all upset by this." The Top Five Reasons Neighbours Squabble One study by Compare the Market revealed the top reason British neighbour's argue Broken fences - top of the board was broken fences and whose responsibility it was to fix it Parking: one of the leading drivers of neighbour disputes, with 54.1 per cent of people having issues with people parking in front of their house, parking bay or driveway Trees - complaints about a neighbour's tree cracking your garden path was also common with nearly half of participants finding it frustrating Bin wars - outdoor bin etiquette continues to ignite the most furious debates between neighbours Nosy Neighbours - some people have their eyes and ears at the ready to have a peek causing problems for others A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: 'Shared areas of council-owned grass within our communities are spaces for everyone to enjoy safely. "While we understand the importance of outdoor play, play equipment such as trampolines present a significant health and safety risk, and cannot be safely monitored around the clock. "For this reason, we do not permit their use in these shared areas. "The residents are within walking distance of two parks which provide good access to play facilities. "We are aware that this type of play equipment can be expensive, which is why we sent letters to the community to give the owner the chance to collect the trampoline themselves.' Lorraine took to social media to voice her concerns with the neighbour's complaint and council's decision to remove the trampoline. Lorraine said: "I cannot believe that some spiteful person from our close has complained to the council that our children are making too much noise whilst playing on the trampoline." Another user said: "They lead a very sad life to complain about the children." A third added: "You're joking. Isn't it good they are laughing and playing or do they want them either stuck in bedrooms or playing with guns outside? What has this world come to?" Another said: "What a small minded person. It's lovely to hear children playing outside."

Daily Mirror

5 days ago

• Daily Mirror

‘I'm a shipwreck detective for treasure – there's billions more gold down there'

The lure of sunken treasure under the waves has wreck-hunting salvage investigators scouring the sea beds to make their millions – but ownership of the lustrous loot is always hotly contested A treasure trove of gold coins, Chinese porcelain, emeralds and pearls worth £15 billion from sunken Spanish galleon San Jose has been discovered at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. Images of the 'holy grail' of shipwrecks were taken by salvage investigators this week, showing the final resting place of the warship. Its contents were bound for the Spanish treasury until it was ambushed by the British Navy three centuries ago. ‌ Since then, adventurers have dreamed of finding its legendary loot – including 200 tonnes of gold, silver, gems and possibly diamonds – originally destined for Panama. ‌ The lure of retrieving sunken gold has seen wreck-hunting treasure seekers go to extraordinary lengths - often in very controversial circumstances. The Spanish frigate Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes was sunk by the British off the coast of Portugal in 1804 - taking with it millions of silver – known as pieces of eight – and gold coins, said to be worth £370 million. A US treasure hunter, Odyssey Marine Exploration, scoured the sea bed in 2007 and recovered almost 500,000 of them, taking them back to America. An ensuing legal battle resulted in the treasure returned to Spain, where it is now on display in a museum in Cartagena. A notorious wreck hunter in 1988 fought for the new-found riches of the Californian gold rush, from the 'ship of gold," which sank off the coast of South Carolina in 1857. ‌ The SS Central America was carrying 21 tonnes of gold nuggets, ingots, dust and coins when a hurricane sank it on its way from Panama to New York City - scattering the gold on the sea bed. Treasure hunter Tommy Thompson used sonar to bring up thousands of gold bars and coins, worth around £220m today. He was jailed in 2015 after failing to disclose the whereabouts of the missing loot. ‌ And while a judge earlier this year agreed to end his sentence, saying he was no longer convinced 'that further incarceration is likely to coerce compliance,' he immediately began a two year sentence for a related criminal contempt charge. Finding sunken treasure is no mean feat - explaining why salvage companies want a cut of the spoils. Shipwreck detective Nigel Pickford, a maritime historian and author of Samuel Pepys and the Strange Wrecking of the Gloucester: The Shipwreck That Shocked Restoration Britain, tracks down wrecks. ‌ He tells The Mirror: 'I start with history books. I like to get back to original letters, diaries, journals, log books, particularly if there were other ships in the fleet which had log books. Perhaps those involved in the sinking or battle.' The San Jose, he says, was relatively easy to locate, because it was extremely well documented in log books of British ships involved in the skirmish. 'They could work out say within probably 100 square miles where that ship was,' he says. 'But now we're searching for wrecks in 10,000 square miles.' ‌ According to the United Nations, there are at least three million shipwrecks lying across our ocean floors, not all contain treasure, but are still of historical interest. As a maritime nation, many lie within our territorial waters. 'When you think that everything went by ship until quite recently, there are many shipwrecks around the British Isles that haven't been found. And there are some interesting aeroplane wrecks too – with gold on them,' says Nigel. ‌ 'There are probably millions of wrecks around the world. But there are many we can't touch – like the ones in shallow water around Europe, which obviously means they get looted instead. 'You'd be surprised how much is still being shipped around. It might not necessarily be gold coins, but they're still high-value cargos,' says Nigel. ‌ But looters often beat bona fide recovery operators to the treasure. 'I was looking at a 17th century Dutch wreck recently which does have the location, and there are quite a lot of Spanish shipwrecks that are charted, but they're always in shallow water. These days I'm really only interested in deep wrecks,' says Nigel. 'Trawling destroys more shipwrecks than anything. Shallow shipwrecks may be easier to find, like the San Jose, but the deeper you go, the better the bounty. 'A shallow wreck might have been trawled through, dispersed, or looted. And wreck diving is dangerous. Things go wrong, and divers can only really go down to about 300ft. You can see much better using remote-operated vehicles (ROVs). And if you're looking in 15,000ft of water with an ROV, you can be fairly sure there won't be many people that have been there before.' ‌ The type of ship also matters. Wooden wrecks like the San Jose will fall apart if touched. 'You just need to know where the cargo that you're interested in might have been stowed,' says Nigel. 'You can see from the photos, coins from the San Jose are all over the sea bed. A bit of excavation with your ROVs will bring that stuff up. ‌ 'But steel wrecks have quite a high chance of still being intact. You might have to open it up on the seabed in order to get to the cargo. The most important thing on a steel wreck is to know the stowage.' Lost deep under the waves, gold treasure can look as good now as on the day it sank. 'Gold doesn't tarnish but silver does – it goes black, but it's not seriously damaged,' explains Nigel. ‌ 'I've been working on an East India cargo with a lot of porcelain, which is almost perfect. It is extraordinary what remains on a sea bed, particularly if it's really deep and there's no oxygen.' Meanwhile, thousands of First and Second World War ships are on salvage hunters' radars. ‌ 'My father Thomas Henry Pickford was in the Navy Salvage Department during World War II,' reveals Nigel, a teacher until he joined the family business. 'There was a lot of gold coming out of Europe before the Germans invaded,' he explains. 'France, Belgium and Holland were all trying to get their gold out, as was Britain. We shipped all our gold over to Canada.' British steam merchant vessel RMS Gairsoppa was hit by a German U-boat in February 1941 and went down with 85 men and a cargo full of silver bullion. ‌ A US exploration firm recovered 48 tons of silver worth £150 million in 2011, making it one of the largest and heaviest recoveries of precious metal from a shipwreck. Passengers on board the passenger ship SS City of Cairo to Brazil didn't know their ship was carrying the multi-million pound cargo. ‌ When the ship was hit by German torpedoes in November 1942, 109 people perished and its huge cache of Indian silver rupees, bound for melting for war materials in Britain, lay undisturbed until a British expedition discovered them 1,000 miles off the African coast in 2011. One of the treasure wrecks Nigel was involved in salvaging was the £32m of silver bullion that went down with the SS Tilawa en route to East Africa in November 1942. ‌ Japanese submarines torpedoed the ship, which was known as the Indian Titanic, killing 280 and more than 2,000 silver bars, due to be minted into coins, plunged to the sea bed near the Seychelles. 'I worked on a ship in the Indian Ocean with a very, very large cargo of bars of silver. That was technically extremely successful,' adds Nigel. But while a British team successfully retrieved the treasure, a court ruled the bullion belonged to South Africa. ‌ Many shipwreck finds end in a tussle between the countries who owned the ships, the country where the treasure was found, and the salvage companies, who want their share of the bounty. And not just anybody can dive for treasure. 'There's all sorts of permits needed these days, especially environmental permits,' says Nigel. ‌ 'A country's territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles out, then there's the contingent zone which goes out another 12, then economic waters which can go out to 200 miles. Increasingly, nations are claiming control of all shipwrecks within economic waters. 'A friend of mine had his ship seized in Spain's territorial waters. He's adamant he was outside them. In UK waters you probably wouldn't get arrested in quite the same way, but it's best working in international waters.' Even once a sunken wreck is found, many countries choose to leave the treasure where it is. ‌ In 1771, a Dutch ship loaded with precious works of art destined for Catherine the Great of Russia was caught in a storm and sank. 'It was found off the coast of Finland in 1999,' says Nigel. 'But the archeologists say no one should touch anything. I don't know if the paintings have survived.' ‌ Famous sunken treasure ships yet to be discovered include the 16th century Portuguese carrack Flor de Mar, which sank off Malaysia laden with treasure on its way to the king, and a British 17th century galleon, The Merchant Royal, which was carrying £1bn in gold sits untouched 30 miles off the coast of Cornwall. Nigel says: 'Personally, I wouldn't waste my time with the Flor de Mar. I would be worried that a lot of the cargo has been pillaged. 'But I've looked for the Merchant Royal three times – it's a fantastic wreck. I'm sure I know where it is now!' ‌ And there's the Portuguese galleon Santa Rosa, which sank off Brazil after a gunpowder explosion in 1726. Nigel enthuses: 'It has a very, very valuable cargo of gold. Probably even more gold than the San Jose.' A treasure hunter's work is clearly never dull!