The latest search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has ended without any evidence about the missing plane, Malaysia’s transport ministry said on Sunday, as it marked the 12th anniversary of its disappearance.The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people disappeared from radar screens while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, which remains one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries.In a statement, Malaysia’s transport ministry said the latest search, which began in December and covered about 15,000 square kilometers of the seabed, had failed to locate the plane.
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“The efforts have not yielded any findings that confirm the location of the aircraft debris,” the ministry said.The search operation was conducted by Ocean Infinity, an exploration firm based in Britain and the United States. The company ended the mission on January 23 after scanning the ocean floor for several weeks using advanced underwater technology.To locate the missing aircraft, Ocean Infinity deployed autonomous underwater drones capable of diving to a depth of 6,000 meters (20,000 ft).The disappearance of MH370 sparked the largest search effort in aviation history, yet neither the plane, nor its passengers, nor the flight recorders have been recovered.The plane was carrying passengers from several countries, two-thirds of whom were Chinese nationals. Others included Malaysians, Indonesians and Australians, along with Indian, American, Dutch and French nationals.Families of the Chinese passengers expressed frustration at the lack of communication about the latest discovery in an open letter published Sunday, on the anniversary of the plane’s disappearance.“We understand the difficulties of the search,” the relatives said in a joint open letter addressed to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in which they thanked him for initiating the search.“However, since January 15 this year, families have not received any further discovery briefings.”The families also said that they repeatedly tried to contact the authorities but without success.“Over the past two months, we have repeatedly contacted Malaysia’s transport ministry through both Malaysia Airlines and the Chinese government, yet have received no response,” he said.He also described the emotional impact the prolonged uncertainty had on the relatives of those aboard the ship.“For 12 years, we have had virtually no real psychological support.”“We ask for very little: only to be seen, to be heard, and to be treated as individuals with feelings and respect.”Relatives of the Chinese passengers are expected to meet with China’s Foreign Ministry officials on Monday, an annual meeting held on the anniversary of the flight’s disappearance. He is also expected to visit the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing to deliver his letter to Prime Minister Anwar.Ocean Infinity had previously searched unsuccessfully for the plane in 2018. Previously, Australia led a three-year multinational search that ended in January 2017 without finding the plane.More than a decade after the disappearance of MH370, the fate of the plane and the 239 people on board remains unknown.