Malaysia has spent US$21m on MH370 search

March 12, 2015 | 11:00

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Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai says as of December 2014, the Malaysian government has spent just over RM79 million on the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

A board bearing solidarity messages is seen during a gathering to mark the one-year anniversary of the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, in Kuala Lumpur on March 6, 2015. (Photo: AFP/MANAN VATSYAYANA)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government has spent at least US$21 million on the search for the missing flight MH370.

In a written reply to a question posed by an MP this parliament session, Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the government had spent RM79,031,905.76 on the search as of December 2014.

But Mr Liow said the overall cost estimation for the search could not be determined yet as the search operations are still ongoing.

The Malaysia Airlines plane disappeared off radars on Mar 8, 2014 after being diverted off its course from Beijing to Kuala Lumpur.

Authorities have been scouring the Southern Indian Ocean since, where the plane is believed to have gone down. So far, no trace of the Boeing-777 or the 239 people on board, has been found.

The search for flight MH370 is estimated to be the most expensive aviation search in history.

CNA/ AFP

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