Australia shelves MH370 memorial after protests

The final resting place of Boeing 777 is still unknown despite two massive searches

Plans to erect a memorial honouring the passengers and crew of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 were shelved by Australia yesterday after protests by relatives of the victims.

The final resting place of the Boeing 777, which had 239 people on board when it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014, is still unknown despite two massive underwater searches off Australia’s West Coast.

The Western Australia state and federal governments in 2014 flagged plans to build a monument in Perth, but relatives said they did not want it created until the jet was found. “While some relatives were supportive of the memorial, others had concerns,” the state’s Premier Mark McGowan said in a statement.

“It was decided in the best interests of all concerned not to proceed with the memorial at this point in time. We are very confident, after consulting with the Australian relatives, that we have made the right call.” A design competition for the memorial, which was to be built at Elizabeth Quay in central Perth, was launched earlier this year.