BEIJING — A Beijing court has ruled that Malaysia Airlines must pay 2.9 million yuan ($410,000) each to the families of eight passengers who went missing when Flight MH370 disappeared more than a decade ago.

The compensation covers funeral expenses, death-related damages, and emotional distress, the court said in a statement on Monday. Although the fate of the passengers remains unknown, they have been legally declared dead.

Background on Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

Flight MH370 vanished on March 8, 2014, after departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport bound for Beijing, carrying 239 passengers and crew members. The incident remains one of the most mysterious aviation disasters in history, as neither the wreckage nor the circumstances of the plane’s disappearance have been fully resolved.

Most of the passengers were Chinese nationals, and families in China have pursued legal action and sought answers for years. Despite extensive international search efforts across the southern Indian Ocean, the cause of the disappearance remains unknown.

Legal Proceedings and Compensation

The Beijing court’s ruling provides financial relief for the eight families involved, while other cases remain ongoing:

• 23 cases are still pending in court.
• 47 cases have been settled through agreements between families and the airline.

The compensation aims to address the emotional and financial suffering endured by families who lost loved ones in the tragedy.

Ongoing Search Efforts

The Malaysian government recently announced that search operations for MH370 are set to resume on December 30, 2025, in hopes of uncovering further evidence to explain the plane’s disappearance. The search could provide additional closure for families who have awaited answers for over a decade.