Two ships searching for debris related to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines MH370 have retrieved a number items from the search area, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said Saturday. “But so far no objects confirmed to be related to MH370 have been recovered,” it said in a statement.
It sounds like a mixed message.
Earlier this week, loved ones of those aboard missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 heard this: “All lives are lost.”
But Saturday, a Malaysian official met with relatives and then told reporters he had not closed the door on the possibility that survivors may exist among the 239 people aboard the Boeing 777-200 ER that went missing March 8.
“Even hoping against hope, no matter how remote, of course we are praying and we will continue our search for the possible survivors,” said Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s acting transportation minister.
“More than that, I told the families I cannot give them false hope. The best we can do is pray and that we must be sensitive to them that, as long as there is even a remote chance of a survivor, we will pray and do whatever it takes.”
Eight planes and seven ships scoured the waters Saturday for signs of the plane hundreds of miles off of Australia’s coast.
As they did, Hishammuddin met with family members, who have listened keenly as data analyses and estimates of Flight 370’s whereabouts have changed.
They have watched as satellite images indicated large groups of floating “possible objects,” and they were paying attention Friday when five planes spotted debris.
On Saturday, a Chinese aircraft made a fresh spotting of three “suspicious” objects, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.
“The objects cannot be verified or discounted as being from MH370 until they are relocated and recovered by ships,” the authority said.
Separately, a Chinese ship saw something in the ocean, but it turned out to be garbage, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.
None of it has been shown to be from Flight 370.
‘They’re still alive’
In Beijing on Saturday, some of the relatives of the missing vented their anguish in the streets.
“They’re all still alive, my son and everyone on board!” yelled Wen Wancheng, 63, whose only son was among the passengers. “The plane is still there too! They’re hiding it.”
He held aloft a banner that read: “Son, mom and dad’s hearts are torn to pieces. Come home soon!”
Many relatives doubtless remember the speculation from early in the search that the plane may have landed somewhere. They implored Hishammuddin to redouble the efforts, and he said Malaysian authorities would do so.
“What they want is a commitment on our part to continue the search, and that I have given,” Hishammuddin said. “For me, as the minister responsible, this is the hardest part of my life, at the moment,” he told reporters.
“Miracles do happen, remote or otherwise, and that is the hope that the families want me to convey — not only to the Malaysian government, MAS (Malaysia Airlines), but also to the world at large,” he said.
