MH370: Ship departs to search for Malaysia airlines Flight 370 one last time

The Dutch-owned ship, Fugro Equator, departed the Fremantle port of Australia on Monday night to search for the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370) that had mysteriously disappeared in 2014.

The officials have stated that Furgo Equator would be the last ship to scour the area of 120,000-square-kilometre (46,000-square-mile) where authorities have calculated the crash of Boeing 777 that carried 239 people. If nothing is found, they will suspend the search operation.

Fugro Equator will comb through the area looking for the remains of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The search will be completed by early 2017. However, fluctations in weather conditions may affect the duration.

“It has been an heroic undertaking but we have to prepare ourselves for the prospect that we may not find MH370 in the coming weeks, although we remain hopeful,” said Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester while talking to West Australian newspaper.

Countries such as China and Australia have taken part in the underwater search operation. Chester thanked China or deploying Chinese vessel Dong Hai Jiu 101 in the search operation that completed earlier this month.

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared on its route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur in 2014. MH370 was carrying 239 people, most of which were Chinese.

Last week, seven family members of some passengers searched for the debris in Madagascar. Furthermore, they encouraged the local communities residing near the coast to also search for potential debris. The decision by the family members was announced after some people living in the regions found alleged fragments of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on East African as well as Madagascan coasts in recent times.

Families of the passengers are frustrated with finding no clue of MH370 whereabouts as of now. They have been calling for coordinated efforts to search for the debris of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.