KUALA LUMPUR — A Beijing court has ordered Malaysia Airlines to pay compensation to the families of eight passengers onboard MH370, which went missing in 2014.
According to reports, the Chaoyang District People’s Court ordered the defendants to compensate each of the eight families over RM1.68 million (2.9 million yuan), in line with the Montreal Convention and relevant Chinese laws.
The compensation reportedly covers damages, funeral expenses, emotional distress damages other losses and related costs.
In 2016, the families of 75 missing passengers filed lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines and Malaysia Airlines Berhad, among other defendants, seeking compensation for losses, the establishment of a search and rescue fund, and other claims, resulting in a total of 78 cases.
Out of the total, 47 cases have been settled and withdrawn, while the remaining 23 cases are still under trial.
The Transport Ministry (MOT) recently announced that the deep-sea search for MH370 will restart on December 30, 2025.
According to a statement from the ministry, the search operator Ocean Infinity has confirmed that it will resume seabed search operations for a duration of 55 days, with intermittent activity throughout the period.
Flight MH370, which was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, vanished from radar on March 8, 2014, with 239 people on board. Despite an extensive and coordinated search effort across the southern Indian Ocean, led by Malaysia, Australia, and China, the plane has never been found in the primary search area.
Over the years, several confirmed or suspected pieces of the aircraft have been discovered on beaches in the western Indian Ocean, including locations in Mozambique, Madagascar, and Réunion Island. – December 9, 2025