First Lawsuit Filed Following MH370 Disappearance

It's been nearly eight months since Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, and families of the passengers on board still have yet to be given any answers as to why the aircraft cannot be found. So it's almost surprising that it took this long for the first lawsuit against Malaysia Airlines to be filed. According to the Associated Press, a family in Malaysia has filed a lawsuit claiming negligence on behalf of two young boys whose father was on MH370. Also included in the suit alongside Malaysia Airlines is "Malaysia's government, civil aviation authorities, immigration department, and air force."

Reads the court papers filed on Friday:

Our clients are after the truth. We have confidence in our judiciary system that this suit will be heard and dealt with fairly.

Though the damages are unspecified in the papers, the suit points to "mental distress, emotional pain, and the loss of support," according to The Washington Post.

It's expected that more families will file suit against the airline and the Malaysian government, and there's little wonder. Malaysia Airlines and nearly everyone involved with MH370's disappearance came under fire in the days following March 8, 2014, the day the aircraft flew off the radar, taking 239 passengers with it. (A civil suit filed in the U.S., but was dismissed in March.) The government continually dodged questions from relatives about the whereabouts of the plane following its disappearance, and the air force was widely criticized when it was revealed that it noticed MH370 had changed course mid-flight — but did nothing about it.

And still, eight months later, we know little else about the fate of the aircraft. And that perhaps could serve as a benefit for Malaysia Airlines and other defendants, who can't answer questions... because they don't know the answers. We've come no closer to locating MH370 than in the days after it vanished. But lawyers for the suing family remain hopeful. As one, Arunan Selveraj, told BBC:

We have waited for eight months. After speaking to various experts, we believe we have sufficient evidence for a strong case ... A big plane missing in this age of technology is really unacceptable.

But still, one answer remains: Where is MH370? Theories floated from the Malaysian government put the plane, which was traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, somewhere in the Indian Ocean. But, as we know, oceans are very big, so how much does that help?

Only one thing is for sure when it comes to MH370: Malaysia Airlines continues to be in big trouble. The carrier was forced to cut 6,000 jobs, and even considered changing its name to make up for its difficult 2014, which also saw a Malaysia Airlines aircraft shot down over the Ukraine, killing 298 people. Seems the airlines struggles are hardly going anywhere.