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Malaysia Air to compensate families of MH370

The payouts won’t affect the rights of families to claim compensation
according to the law at a later stage, and will be calculated as part
of the final sum, the airline said in an e- mailed statement. It didn’t
say how much would be disbursed.

The hunt for the Boeing Co. 777
that disappeared March 8 with 239 people on board is the longest for a
missing passenger jet in modern aviation history. The wide-body’s
disappearance has baffled authorities because contact was lost less than
an hour into a routine trip to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur. No debris has
been found so far.

Malaysian Air said that while it’s committed
to continuing to help families, it is “adjusting the mode of services
and support,” closing assistance centres around the world by May 7.

Instead
of staying in hotels, the families of those on board were also advised
to receive information updates on the progress of the search and
investigation, together with other support, at their homes, today’s
statement said.

Malaysia has set up a team to probe the
disappearance that will consist of three groups with specific focus
areas, not including criminal investigation.

The jetliner vanished
from civilian radars while headed north over the Gulf of Thailand, then
doubled back and flew over Peninsular Malaysia and on into the remote
waters of the Indian Ocean.

While the motive behind that heading
remains unknown, MH370 was deliberately steered south, Malaysian Prime
Minister Najib Razak has said. There are no indications of any
survivors, the airline has said previously.