With the designated search area due to be fully scanned within weeks, transport ministers from the three countries made the announcement after discussing the future of the unprecedented deep-sea hunt for the Malaysia Airlines passenger plane. "The suspension does not mean the termination of the search. "This means authorities are committed to finding answers and not just quitting. This is to be welcomed," said K.S. "With less than 10,000 square kilometres (3,861 square miles) of the high priority search area remaining to be searched, ministers acknowledged that despite the best efforts of all involved the likelihood of finding the aircraft is fading," said a joint statement after the meeting in Malaysia’s administrative capital Putrajaya.Unless "credible new evidence" turns up by the time the current operations are completed, "the search would not end, but be suspended" until solid new information pointing to a crash site emerges, they said.

Source: The Nation Bangkok July 22, 2016 09:00 UTC