Malaysia retires missing plane’s flight code

This picture taken aboard a Vietnamese Air Force Russian-made MI-171 helicopter shows a crew member checking a map during a search flight some 200 km over the southern Vietnamese waters off Vietnam’s island Phu Quoc on March 11, 2014 as part of continued efforts aimed at finding traces of the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370. Malaysian police said on March 11 one of two suspect passengers who boarded a missing passenger jet was an Iranian illegal immigrant, as relatives of some of the 239 people on board said they were losing hope for a miracle. AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia Airlines has retired the missing jetliner’s flight code as a sign of respect to the 239 passengers and crew on board.

The airline said Thursday it will no longer be using MH370 and MH371, the same codes used by the Boeing 777 that vanished from radar screens on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on Saturday. A massive search involving satellites, planes and ships has found no trace of the aircraft.

MH370 was used for Kuala Lumpur-Beijing route and MH371 for a return flight.

Starting Friday, Malaysia Airlines said it will use codes MH318 and MH319 for twice-a-day flights to and from Beijing.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families of our colleagues and passengers of MH370,” the airline said in a statement.

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