The most unsettling aspect of the disappearance of Flight MH370 is the lack of finality presented by the case.
The collective global population is about as close to knowing what happened to the missing jetliner today as we were on March 8th.
The lack of efficiency in the hunt for MH370 has raised far more questions than there are answers available. In a situation where there are already far too many questions, this is particularly distressing.
One question remains largely unasked: What if Flight MH370 is never found?
To ask such a question is to admit that 239 individuals could be lost to their families forever. It also figuratively represents one hand of two raised in the air in admission of defeat.
For onlookers, it is a reality that is swiftly approaching.
#Malaysian official says what others have been thinking: the mystery of the plane may never be solved. http://t.co/5nNhI3kzZM
— Mark Mooney (@mxmooney) April 2, 2014
Lets keep it honest, they really have no clue where MH370 @MAS is. Everyday, same story. @wolfblitzer @CNN #Mystery #Flight370
— LATINPRINCE_DJCITY (@latinprince) March 28, 2014
Though the physical search for the plane is a major focus, there is also an ongoing criminal investigation.
Officials are looking into the backgrounds of the pilots, crew, and all passengers in minute detail in hopes of recovering clues. Thus far there is nothing to suggest that anyone aboard the plane had a hand in its disappearance.
Inspector General Khalid Abu Bakar updated reporters in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday about the grim outlook facing officials.
“At the end of the investigations, we may not even know the real cause [of the plane’s disappearance],” said Bakar. “We may not even know the reason for this incident.”
Adding to the confusion is the ever-changing search location deemed to be the likely resting place of the downed airplane.
Initially the Boeing 777 was believed to have crashed in or near the Gulf of Thailand. As weeks passed, the search area shifted to the frigid southern waters of the Indian Ocean.
Debris has been spotted and recovered within the past week, but nothing definitely tying to the disappearance of the missing jetliner.
Should no debris or bodies ever be recovered, the lost plane will inevitably become one of the greatest mysteries of the 21 century.
If nothing else, this case has demonstrated in harrowing fashion that such disturbing mysteries are still possible in this day and age.
Image via YouTube