Sick of Waiting for Answers, MH370 Families Head to Madagascar to Keep Searching

The group “Voice370” consists primarily of the next-of-kin of those who were onboard the missing flight. They have become increasingly upset about the lack of a coordinated search in the western Indian Ocean or along the African coast, despite wreckage determined to have been confirmed or likely to have been from their loved ones’ flight.

“Despite these hugely important finds, there has been no systematic, organized search by any responsible party,” the group wrote in a post on Facebook. “This leaves the NOKs [next-of-kin] no other choice except to take it upon ourselves to do something to find answers and closure.”

Seven members of the group are now planning visit the region between December 3 and 11. They hope that their own search efforts will raise awareness that the plane is still missing, encourage a continuation of the attempts to locate the wreckage, and mobilize the local population to keep an eye out for debris. They are also hoping to set up a possible incentive system for locals who find debris, using their own funds.

Flight MH370 was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and disappeared from radar screens on March 8, 2014, less than an hour after taking off. There were 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board when it vanished.

Investigators believe that the aircraft may have been unmanned and flown by the autopilot system in its final hours. The theory is that the jet ran out of fuel, causing it to crash into the ocean at a speed of up to 230 MPH.