Beijing court orders Malaysia Airlines to compensate families of eight MH370 passengers

A BEIJING court has ordered Malaysia Airlines (MAS) to compensate the families of eight Chinese passengers who were aboard flight MH370, the aircraft that disappeared on 8 March 2014 while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

In a statement, the Chaoyang District People’s Court confirmed that each family will receive more than 2.9 million yuan (approximately RM1.69 million) to cover funeral expenses, emotional distress and additional losses.

The ruling was issued last Friday.

The court also reported that 47 other lawsuits have been withdrawn following out-of-court settlements between the families and Malaysia Airlines, along with its international subsidiary, Malaysia Airlines International.

Of the 78 claims originally filed by relatives of victims, 23 cases remain pending. According to the court, many of these unresolved matters relate to families who have yet to obtain or complete formal declarations of death for the missing passengers.

The eight families awarded compensation had already secured such declarations.

The announcement comes just days after Malaysian authorities confirmed that the search for the missing Boeing 777 would resume at the end of December, a move welcomed by China’s foreign ministry and families of the victims.

Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) earlier stated that search operations for MH370 debris would recommence on 30 December. Ocean Infinity, the seabed exploration company involved in previous search efforts, has confirmed that operations will proceed in phases over a 55-day mission.

“The search will be conducted in areas assessed to have the highest likelihood of locating the aircraft, in line with the service agreement signed between the Malaysian government and Ocean Infinity on 25 March,” the ministry said. “This latest development underscores the government’s commitment to providing clarity for families affected by the tragedy.”

The Telegraph reported on 25 February that Ocean Infinity had already restarted its search in the Indian Ocean, noting that maritime tracking data showed its deep-sea support vessel, Armada 7806, had reached a newly designated search zone roughly 1,931 kilometres from Perth, Australia.

In April, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that Ocean Infinity had temporarily suspended its mission, but the upcoming operation represents a renewed push to resolve one of modern aviation’s most enduring mysteries. - December 9, 2025