Families vent anger as search for missing MH370 called off

Search teams led by Malaysia, Australia and China have put an end to the underwater search for the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, with the families of those who vanished critical of the investigation.

The plane was carrying 239 people when it is believed to have crashed somewhere in the Indian Ocean in March 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The family members were informed via an emailed statement on Tuesday that the search had sent its last search vessel without success.

"Today the last search vessel has left the underwater search area," the statement said. "Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has not been located in the 120,000 square-kilometre underwater search area in the southern Indian Ocean," it read.

"Despite every effort using the best science available, cutting edge technology, as well as modelling and advice from highly skilled professionals who are the best in their field, unfortunately, the search has not been able to locate the aircraft," it continued.

The statement was written by the transport ministers of the three countries, and they said the decision to suspend the search "has not been taken lightly or without sadness".

Voice 370, a support group formed by the victims' families in the wake of the disappearance, criticised the decision to end the search.

"In our view, extending the search to the new area defined by the experts is an inescapable duty owed to the flying public in the interest of aviation safety," Voice 370 said.