Australian service marks third anniversary of MH370 tragedy
CANBERRA: The Australian government minister in charge of the suspended seabed search for the Malaysia Airlines jet joined victims’ families and friends on Wednesday in the east coast city of Brisbane for a memorial service to mark the third anniversary of Flight 370’s disappearance.
Darren Chester, minister for infrastructure and transport, and Angus Houston, the former Australian defense chief who coordinated the early months of the search efforts, were among around 100 who attended the private ceremony at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral.
Several victims and relatives of the 239 passengers and crew aboard the Boeing 777 live in or near Brisbane.
Chester said before the service that he understood the frustration that many would feel on the anniversary of the tragedy that there was no longer an active search for the crash site.
Australia, Malaysia and China in January suspended the sonar search for the airliner after a sweep of 120,000 square kilometers of the Indian Ocean southwest of Australia failed to find any trace. The airliner for unknown reasons flew far off course during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
“I understand that the families and friends have a level of frustration and disappointment that despite the enormous search effort, we haven’t been able to locate MH370,” Chester said.
“It’s important to hold this service to remem- ber those who are missing: the seven Australian citizens and residents along with the 232 others who were on board from 14 countries around the world,” he said.
“Not knowing their final resting place is a traumatizing experience for the families and friends and after three years and so many unanswered questions, I think it’s important that we have this service. It will be a sad day for many, but it will also be a chance to celebrate the lives of those who are missing,” he said.