A Beijing court has ordered Malaysia Airlines to pay compensation of over US$410,000 (2.9 million yuan) to each family that filed a case regarding the disappearance of Flight MH370.
According to a statement from the Beijing High People’s Court, released on December 8, 2025, eight families of MH370 passengers have received compensation orders from the Chaoyang District People’s Court.
The court determined that Malaysia Airlines and other defendants are required to pay damages in accordance with the Montreal Convention and Chinese law.
Each ruling grants more than 2.9 million yuan (approximately US$410,000) per case, which includes damages, funeral costs, emotional distress compensation, other losses, and related expenses. Altogether, the eight cases – each representing one passenger – total around US$3.3 million.
“This judgement recognizes not only the loss of life, but also the profound psychological trauma suffered by the families,” a court spokesperson told Reuters on December 8, 2025.
Malaysia Airlines has not yet responded to the ruling.
Of the 239 people aboard MH370, two-thirds were Chinese nationals, making China the nation most affected by the tragedy. The remaining passengers were from Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, India, the United States, the Netherlands, and France.
More than a decade later, these families continue to seek answers about the fate of their family members who went missing and were never found after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014.
Flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, the Boeing 777-200ER disappeared from radar less than an hour after it took off. It is believed that all passengers and crew members lost their lives.
The exact reason for the disappearance has never been determined and the incident continues to be one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history.
On December 3, 2025, Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport declared that it would resume the deep-sea search for the lost wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. This new search, set to begin on December 30, 2025, will be the third major deep-sea search for the missing aircraft.
