Beijing Court Rules Malaysia Airlines Must Compensate MH370 Victims' Families

December 9, 2025 at 10:15 AM•1 min read

Malaysia Airlines has been ordered by a Beijing court to pay compensation to the families of eight MH370 passengers.

Key Points

1Beijing court mandates Malaysia Airlines to pay 2.9 million yuan ($410,000) per family to eight MH370 victims' relatives.
2Compensation covers death, funeral expenses, and emotional distress for passengers legally declared deceased since 2014.
3Twenty-three additional cases remain pending, while 47 other families have already settled their claims with the airline.
4The Malaysian government announced a new search operation for the missing Flight MH370 is scheduled to recommence on December 30.

A Beijing court has mandated Malaysia Airlines to pay 2.9 million yuan, equivalent to $410,000, to each of the families of eight passengers who were on board the missing Flight 370. The ruling, announced Monday, covers compensation for the death of their loved ones, funeral expenses, and damages for emotional distress, more than a decade after the aircraft's disappearance.

Flight 370 vanished in 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew. Despite extensive, multi-year search efforts, the reason for the aircraft's disappearance and the fate of those on board remain unknown. The passengers have been legally declared dead. A significant number of the passengers were Chinese nationals, and their families have consistently sought clarity and accountability regarding the incident.

The court also noted that 23 similar cases against the airline are still awaiting resolution. In 47 other instances, families have already reached out-of-court settlements with Malaysia Airlines and subsequently withdrawn their lawsuits. Concurrently, the Malaysian government confirmed last Wednesday that a new search operation for the missing aircraft is scheduled to recommence on December 30.