Two years on, the families of passengers who were aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 say that the search for missing aircraft must go beyond its deadline of June 2016, after new hopes have emerged of solving the world's biggest aviation mystery. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on 8 March 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers, most of whom were Chinese.
Memorial ceremonies were held to mark the second anniversary of the plane's disappearance at the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing as well as the Lama Temple, while Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur saw small, intimate displays where mourners could pay tribute. No official memorial service was held.
A family member of a passenger onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in 2014, cries during the family members' gathering in front of Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, ChinaKim Kyung-hoon/ ReutersBalloons with the name of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 are seen displayed during a memorial event in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaMohd Rasfan/ AFPA poster showing cabin crew from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is displayed during a prayer at a school in Petaling Jaya, MalaysiaMohd Rasfan/ AFPFlowers and candles are placed on the floor to pay tribute for passengers of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in Petaling Jaya, MalaysiaMohd Rasfan/ AFPA relative of a passenger missing on Malaysia Airlines MH370, cries during a gathering of relatives outside the Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaGreg Baker/ AFP
Despite officials conducting a multinational search in the Gulf of Thailand, the South China sea, the Strait of Malacca and the Andaman Sea, discovering various of pieces of debris – much of which has been confirmed to be parts of the plane, the search is soon to be brought to an end. This have left families of the passengers waiting for an answer that they may never receive.
Relatives of the missing MH370 passengers plane stand in Beijing, ChinaFred Dufour/ AFPA candle burns a prayer message for passengers of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in Petaling Jaya, MalaysiaMohd Rasfan/ AFPSchool teachers put candles on the floor to pay tribute to passengers of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in Petaling Jaya, MalaysiaMohd Rasfan/ AFPA woman cries as relatives of passengers onboard of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in 2014, burn incense sticks and pray at Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaDamir Sagolj/ ReutersSchool children look at a board showing some of the passengers who were aboard the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on the second anniversary of its disappearance in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaOlivia Harris/ ReutersA woman falls to the ground in despair as relatives of passengers onboard flight MH370 which went missing in 2014, burn incense sticks and pray at Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaDamir Sagolj/ ReutersJiang Huijun (R), whose family member was onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in 2014, burns incense sticks and prays with other relatives of passengers at Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaDamir Sagolj/ ReutersWomen look at a mural of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 two years after it disappeared, in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaOlivia Harris/ ReutersCheng Liping prays for her husband Ju Kun, who was onboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in 2014, at Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaKim Kyung-hoon/ ReutersGrace Subathirai Nathan, 28, whose mother was aboard the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, is seend during an interview in Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaOlivia Harris/ Reuters
Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai has urged relatives to file claims under the Montreal Convention against Malaysia Airlines by 8 March in order to preserve their legal rights for the search to continue. Relatives of the Chinese passengers have since begun to file the lawsuits against Malaysian Airlines at a Beijing court, a day ahead of the second anniversary of its disappearance – and just over three months before the search is set to finish. The Beijing railway transport court has been designated to accept these cases.
This may be the last chance for these families to file claims against Malaysia Airlines, but with the search for MH370 still under way, the lawsuits are likely to be long and full of uncertainty.
Zhang Yongli, whose daughter was aboard flight MH370 that went missing in 2014, is interviewed after visiting Malaysia Airlines' Beijing office to deliver his letter of demandKim Kyung-Hoon/ ReutersTwo relatives of passengers aboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 cry as they leave the Beijing Rail Transportation Court in Beijing, ChinaFred Dufour/ AFPRelatives of passengers aboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 wait inside the Beijing Rail Transportation Court in Beijing, ChinaFred Dufour/ AFPRelatives of passengers missing on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 shout slogans outside the Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaGreg Baker/ AFPDai Shuqin, a relative of passengers missing on Malaysia Airlines MH370, wipes her tears during a gathering of relatives outside the Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaGreg Baker/ AFPFamily members of passengers onboard MH370 which went missing in 2014, leave the Malaysia Airlines' Beijing office on the second anniversary of the disappearance of MH370, in Beijing, ChinaKim Kyung-hoon/ ReutersDai Shuqin, whose younger sister and her family members were on flight MH370 that went missing in 2014, delivers her and other family members' letters of demand to the Malaysia Airlines' Beijing officeKim Kyung-Hoon/ ReutersRelatives of passengers missing on Malaysia Airlines MH370 embrace outside the Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaGreg Baker/ AFPDai Shuqin, a relative of passengers missing on Malaysia Airlines MH370, holds a poster reading 'President Xi will help us. The nation will help us. Good news about our family is sure to come.' outside the Lama Temple in BeijingGreg Baker/ AFPDai Shuqin, a relative of passengers missing on Malaysia Airlines MH370, holds a statement during a gathering of relatives outside the Lama Temple in Beijing, ChinaGreg Baker/ AFPFamily members of passengers onboard MH370 that went missing in 2014, leave the Malaysia Airlines' Beijing office after delivering their letters of demandKim Kyung-Hoon/ ReutersA family member of a passenger onboard flight MH370 which went missing in 2014 holds a banner during a gathering in front of the Malaysian Embassy on the second anniversary of the disappearance of MH370, in Beijing, China,Damir Sagolj/ ReutersFamily members of passengers onboard flight MH370 which went missing in 2014 hold messages in front of reporters during their gathering near the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, ChinaDamir Sagolj/ Reuters
