The search for MH-370, the Malaysia Airlines flight which vanished on March 8, 2014, is in its final week, authorities in that country have informed a Pune resident whose wife was on the ill-fated aircraft.
Prahlad Shirsath, husband of Kranti Shirsath, however, said he would never give up the hope that some news about the plane would surface one day.
The aircraft vanished with 239 people on board en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.
The Malaysian government had entered into an agreement for the search of MH370 with Ocean Infinity Limited, an American exploration firm, in January this year.
“Today I received an email from the Malaysian government informing that the search operation is in the final week,” Shirsath told PTI.
The 90-day search for MH370 by Ocean Infinity which started in January ended in April without any finding. It was extended till May 29 on the Malaysian government’s request, the email said.
“We hope that Ocean Infinity would be able to find the aircraft. We will continue to engage the authorities to get more updates on this, including what happens next, and will keep you informed,” the email added.
Besides Kranti Shirsath, four other Indians — Vinod Kolekar, Chetana Kolekar, Swanand Kolekar and Chandrika Sharma — were on board the missing aircraft.
“Since the plane went missing four years ago, this is the fifth or sixth search operation to trace its remains. Every time it begins, we have new hope, which turns into despair eventually,” Shirsath said.
He as well as relatives of other missing passengers receive regular weekly updates from the Malaysian government about the search, he said.
“Even if the present search operation is likely to end on May 29, I am hopeful that someday we will hear about the missing plane,” he said.
The family has already received the death certificate of his wife from the Malaysian government, he said.
“We, the families of the missing passengers, still appeal to Malaysian government to continue the search,” he said.
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