Beijing court orders Malaysia Airlines to pay US$3.3M to families of eight MH370 passengers after decade

CHINA: A Beijing court has ordered Malaysia Airlines to compensate families of eight passengers who were on board Flight MH370, more than a decade after the aircraft disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8 March 2014. 

Each family is expected to receive more than 2.9 million yuan (US$410,000) to cover funeral expenses, emotional distress and other losses, the Chaoyang District People’s Court said in a statement on Monday, 8 December 2025.

The ruling applies to eight cases involving eight passengers, while 47 other lawsuits have been withdrawn after families settled privately with Malaysia Airlines and its international arm, Malaysia Airlines International, according to the court.

23 lawsuit pending

A total of 78 cases had initially been filed following the disaster, and 23 remain pending, with the court stating that some families “have either not yet applied for a declaration of death or have not yet completed the declaration process.”

The eight passengers covered in the ruling have been legally declared deceased.

Malaysia Airlines has not issued a response, with the company yet to reply to requests for comment reported by local media outlets.

Decade-long search and renewed efforts

MH370 was a Boeing 777 carrying 239 people when it vanished from radar, sparking what became the largest aviation search in history.

Two-thirds of passengers were Chinese nationals, with others including Malaysians, Indonesians, Australians, Indians, Americans, Dutch and French nationals.

Despite extensive international efforts, only debris fragments have ever been found.

Malaysia’s transport ministry said earlier this month the search will resume on 30 December and is expected to run for 55 days, conducted in targeted areas “assessed to have the highest probability” of locating the wreckage.

According to CNA, US exploration company Ocean Infinity confirmed it will recommence seabed search operations, to be carried out intermittently.

The decision has been welcomed by China’s foreign ministry and victims’ relatives, who have long called for answers.

Families continue fight for truth

Past reports by CCTV, cited by HKFP, noted more than 40 families had filed lawsuits not only against Malaysia Airlines, but also Boeing, Rolls Royce, and Allianz insurance group, focusing on compensation and uncovering the truth behind the disappearance.

The jurisdiction of the Chinese court over foreign defendants remains unclear.

Standing outside the court in Beijing despite freezing weather, Jiang Hui — whose mother was aboard MH370 — described the hearing as “very comforting, and a turning point” for families still seeking closure.

“Ten years have really been unbearable for us,” Jiang said, adding that he hopes legal relief and answers will come soon.

Another relative, a man identified by his surname Fu, said he felt anxious yet hopeful after years of struggle. “As a relative, I am under a lot of pressure because I was the first to go to court. But I am also very excited because it is not easy to reopen the court hearing after so many years,” he told reporters.

CCTV also reported that more than 110 families previously reached settlements, receiving compensation ranging between 2.5 million and 3 million yuan, while current claimants initially sought civil compensation of 10 million to 80 million yuan, along with moral damages between 30 million and 40 million yuan.

Hearings are expected to continue until mid-December.