[Peetwo]

Tripartite Meeting summary - via the ABC:

MH370: Hunt for missing Malaysian Airlines plane to be suspended if current search unsuccessful
Updated 43 minutes agoFri 22 Jul 2016, 6:48pm


Photo: Officials have met to decide the future of the search for Flight MH370. (AFP)

The search for missing flight MH370 will be suspended if the plane is not found by December, officials from Australia, Malaysia and China have announced.

The transport ministers from the three nations met today to discuss the future of the search in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

In a joint press conference, the ministers told reporters if the plane was not found in the current search area, the search "would not end, but be suspended".

Due to weather delays, the search is expected to be completed in December, officials said.

"In the absence of new credible evidence, Malaysia, Australia and China have collectively agreed to suspend the search upon completion of the 120,000km search," Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said.

"I must emphasise that this does not mean we are giving up on the search for MH370," he added.

Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester said every effort had been made to find the aircraft, and authorities had engaged world experts and cutting-edge technology in the hunt.

"This decision [to suspend the search] has not been taken lightly nor without some sadness and we want to emphasise our work is continuing," he said.

Mr Chester said he wanted to reassure the victims' families and loved ones that they were "on the same team" and authorities were also desperate to find answers and locate the aircraft.

MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew onboard while on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.

Almost $180 million has been spent so far on the underwater search.

From other news sites:

• The Australian: MH370: search to end in months unless evidence found
  
• BBC: MH370: Search for missing plane to be suspended not shut down
  
• SBS: Ministers meet on MH370 search
  
• Yahoo!7 News: Ministers meet on MH370 search - Yahoo7
  
• Huffington Post (UK): MH370 Mystery Deepens As Experts Admit Search Area Could Be Wrong
  

MTF...P2