Malaysia Airlines Crash Suits Must Be Litigated in Malaysia

Lawsuits stemming from the unexplained 2014 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 must proceed in Malaysia, not the U.S., the D.C. Circuit said Friday.

Malaysia is an adequate, available forum for claims by passengers’ representatives, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said.

Plaintiffs sued Malaysia Airlines Systems Berhad (MAS), Malaysia’s national airline at the time of Flight MH370; Malaysia Airlines Berhad, its current national airline; and the airlines’ insurers. They also sued Boeing Co., which manufactured the aircraft.

The 227 passengers were of 14 nationalities, including 152 Chinese citizens, 38 Malaysian citizens, and three ...