Malaysia and Australia said they remained "hopeful" of solving the mystery of flight MH370 as the second anniversary of the plane's disappearance arrived Tuesday with no end in sight for devastated families.

The anniversary will be marked in Malaysia with the release of a progress report by investigators probing the baffling case, as well as a solemn moment of silence by the country's parliament.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said authorities "remain committed to doing everything within our means to solving what is an agonising mystery."

"The current search operation is expected to be completed later this year, and we remain hopeful that MH370 will be found," he said in a statement.

If the Indian Ocean search fails, Malaysia, Australia and China will meet "to determine the way forward," he said.

The Malaysia Airlines jet vanished on March 8, 2014 en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew. Authorities believe it veered out over the remote southern Indian Ocean, where it went down.

The three searching nations have already indicated the hunt will end if nothing is detected on the seafloor in a designated area deemed the most likely crash zone.

The Australian-led search — the biggest and most expensive in history — hopes to eventually retrieve the Boeing 777's black boxes.

But no crash site has been pinpointed yet and high-tech scanning of the search area is expected to be completed in a few months.

Next-of-kin, struggling for closure in the tragedy, have pleaded for the quest to continue beyond that.

Australian Transport Minister Darren Chester also said Tuesday that the three countries remain "hopeful".

"Finding the aircraft would give answers to the world, in particular the families of missing loved ones, about what happened," he said.

– Investigators to issue statement –

A team of international investigators set up in the wake of the disappearance will issue a statement at 3:00 pm (0700 GMT) — part of a requirement under international rules to release an update each year.

Its initial report, issued on the first anniversary, shed no light on the mystery and there has been no indication that Tuesday's statement will contain any revelations.

Theories to explain the disappearance include a possible mechanical or structural failure, a hijacking or terror plot, or rogue pilot action.

A wing fragment later confirmed to be from MH370 was found on an island thousands of kilometres from the search area last July, the first proof the plane went down.

Two new pieces of debris have been found recently but they are yet to be confirmed as from MH370, and such flotsam is no help in pinpointing a crash site.

The second anniversary also is the deadline for filing lawsuits against the airline.

Scores and perhaps hundreds of next-of-kin have filed in recent days in the United States, Malaysia, China, Australia and elsewhere, while others have accepted undisclosed settlements, say attorneys.

Many families accuse the airline and Malaysian government of letting the plane slip away through a bungled response, withholding information on what happened, and treating grieving relatives insensitively, charges that are denied.

Many relatives also remain unconvinced by the vague satellite data indicating the plane's movements and which authorities have used to determine the suspected crash zone.

Questions linger as Malaysia marks two years since MH370
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) March 7, 2016 –

Investigators probing the MH370 mystery will release an annual statement, and Malaysia's parliament will observe a solemn moment of silence to mark two years since the plane's baffling disappearance.

The anniversary rolls around with relatives increasingly anxious over plans to end the challenging search for an Indian Ocean crash site and with Malaysia Airlines facing a slew of lawsuits over the disaster.

A team of international investigators set up nearly two years ago will issue an annual update of its findings at 3:00 pm in Kuala Lumpur (0700 GMT).

There has been no indication the statement would contain new insights into what actually happened on March 8, 2014, when the plane vanished during an overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew.

The team includes investigators from the US National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) and its counterparts from other countries.

It is required under international rules to release an annual statement regardless of whether new information has emerged.

Its first report, issued on the one-year anniversary, shed no new light on what remains one of aviation's greatest mysteries.

Analysts believe MH370 veered far off course to the remote southern Indian Ocean, where it went down.

Theories of what caused the disappearance include a possible mechanical or structural failure, a hijacking or terror plot, or rogue pilot action. But nothing has emerged to support any single scenario.

An extensive two-year search led by Australia, which aims to locate debris on the seafloor and possibly retrieve the black boxes, has come up empty.

A wing fragment was found on an island thousands of kilometres from the search area last July and later confirmed to be from MH370, the first proof that the plane went down.

Two new pieces of debris found in the past week have raised anticipation ahead of the anniversary, but are yet to be confirmed as from MH370.

– Deadline for filing lawsuits –

Families have recently stepped up calls for the search to carry on and even be expanded after the designated search zone — an area the size of North Korea — has been fully scanned, which is expected around June.

Australian, Malaysian and Chinese authorities plan to end the search — projected to cost up to $130 million — at that point if no compelling new leads pointing to an actual crash site emerge.

The second anniversary also is the deadline for filing lawsuits against the airline.

Families of scores of passengers have in recent days and weeks filed lawsuits in the United States, Malaysia, China, Australia and elsewhere, seeking damages over the disaster.

Some others have reached settlements for undisclosed amounts, according to attorneys.

Citing imprecise satellite data indicating the plane's movements, search authorities believe the plane veered off course and flew for hours to the remote southern Indian Ocean, where it went down.

But many relatives remain unconvinced that they are searching in the right place.

Many remain furious with the airline and Malaysian government, accusing them of letting the plane slip away through a bungled response, withholding information on what happened, and treating grieving relatives insensitively.