Voice370 said extending the search to the area recommended by the experts was “an inescapable duty owed to the flying public in the interest of aviation safety”.

“Commercial planes cannot be allowed to just disappear without a trace,” it said in a statement today.

The First Principles Review Report, released on Dec 20, 2016 by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, had recommended a new search area of 25,000 sq km, north of the current search site.

Voice370 said that having already searched 120,000 sq km, it was “irresponsible” to stop at this stage.

“It betrays a shocking lack of faith in the data, tools and recommendations of an array of official experts assembled by the authorities themselves.”

Voice370 appealed to Malaysia, China and Australia to reconsider the decision to suspend the search.

Grace Subathirai Nathan, whose mother was on board the missing flight, expressed her sorrow at the suspension of the search on Facebook.

“They suspended the underwater search for MH370 today. We were informed through an emailed statement.

“This information was not even deemed important enough to be communicated to us in person.

“I’m sorry Maa, I’m so sorry we still haven’t found you. These governments may give up, but I am not giving up,” she wrote.

“How many more lies will we sit here and take? How many more smokescreens and clever formulations to bury the things that matter?” she asked, in apparent reference to the parties responsible for the search.

“Maybe to them it’s just a plane. It’s not just a plane to us. It’s not even just about my mother or the 238 other people on board.

“There is the issue of setting bad precedents; there is the issue of accountability and responsibility. There is the issue of prevention of something similar. There is the issue of enforcement of treaty rights, and the many gaps in the laws.

“The search must go on.”