Australia says hunt for missing MH370 jet may be called off soon

The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 cannot go on forever, Australia’s deputy prime minister said, and discussions are already under way between Australia, China and Malaysia as to whether to call off the hunt within weeks. No trace has been found of the Boeing 777 aircraft, which disappeared a year ago this week carrying 239 passengers and crew, in what has become one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.The yearlong search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has turned up no sign of the plane, but that doesn’t mean it’s been unproductive. It has yielded lessons and discoveries that could benefit millions, including coastal Australians, air and sea travelers and scientists trying to understand ancient changes to the earth’s crust.

For many of the families onboard, they won’t have closure unless they have certain knowledge that the aircraft has been located and perhaps their loved ones’ remains have been recovered. We clearly cannot keep searching forever, but we want to do everything that’s reasonably possible to locate the aircraft.

Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss

While the knowledge gained so far is of little comfort to family and friends of the 239 people still missing from the plane, which vanished last March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing, benefits of the work so far include better tsunami prediction, new underwater maps, better plane tracking and improved multinational searches.

It’s more daunting than looking on Mars because there’s no light. So we’re in a completely unknown world in mountains that are the most rugged on earth. There’s no maps, so it’s all basic, pure exploration with a mission that not only are we exploring, but we’re also looking for an aircraft.

Dave Gallo, Director of special projects at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts

World MH370