Amid The Ongoing Speculations On The Missing MH370, This Is All We Really Know

The search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been on for almost two years now. Dwindling hopes to find the missing passengers on-board the ill-fated flight were once again rekindled after a piece of washed up debris was recently found on the Reunion Island, in the Indian Ocean. In fact, Malaysia¡¯s Transport Ministry has confirmed that more parts of the aircraft have landed on the island.

AFP/Getty Images

The new objects found on the island comprise window pieces, seat cushions, and aluminum. But it remains undecided whether these belong to MH370, as long as the French authorities offer their verification.

The things we know about the missing MH370

1. MH370 ¡°crashed with no survivors¡±: About two weeks after the plane disappeared, the Malaysian officials announced that the aircraft had crashed and plunged into the Indian Ocean with no survivors. Items found in the ocean were believed to have belonged to the aircraft. However, later it was confirmed that those were not from the missing MH370.

www.gospelherald.com

2. Conspiracy Theories: Various theories proliferated since the MH370 went missing on 8th March, 2014, and according to the CIA head, John Brennan, ¡°no theory can be discounted.¡± With 239 people on-board, Boeing 777 was en-route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. Kin of those who vanished mysteriously reported that the phones of their family members were ¡°still ringing¡± even after days of its disappearance.

Getty Images News

3. Scandalous Claims: A book released around that time claimed that the flight had ¡°accidentally¡± been shot to bits as a result of a military exercise conducted by the US-Thai joint strike fighters, and that all search operations were deliberately misleading everyone as a plan of a ¡°cover-up¡±. Of course, this claim had no basis as an international team of experts rebuffed it after their investigations.

4. Satellite Search: Images received from the satellite search, released by the Malaysian authorities, did aim to confirm that MH370 had indeed crashed into the Indian Ocean. Further analysis appeared to have pointed out that the plane might have changed course. Consequently, the search efforts shifted 1,800 km off the west coast of Australia.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority

5. The Sonar-Led Search: When the second phase of the search operations commenced, the man leading it said that he was ¡°consciously optimistic¡± about finding MH370. A ship, fully-laden with high-tech sonar equipment made sail in an attempt to locate the missing plane from the depths of the ocean.

AFP/Getty Images

6. Final Confirmations: "We don't have a final date but once we've had an official loss recorded we can work with the next of kin on the full compensation payments for those families," Hugh Dunleavy, a Malaysian Airlines official had said.

Where the search really stands as we speak

Further testing is underway with respect to the new debris that has been found. The debris has been handed over to the police for investigations. However, no confirmations regarding its connection to MH370 have been made.

What this entire scenario means for the families

The family members of those on-board the missing MH370 are still hoping against hope for some good news. However, most of them feel confused, angered and frustrated by how the investigations have come to play.

Getty Images News

"I didn't hear facts. I didn't hear the basics. I heard nothing and so it leaves me wondering whether there is a foregone conclusion and everyone is racing for the finish,¡± said K.S. Narendran whose wife was among the missing passengers of the plane.

"I don't believe this. I don't! I am furious and I think this announcement is very irresponsible,¡± said Xu Jinghong, who¡¯s still awaiting news on her mother ¨C also a passenger on the ill-fated plane.