The Malaysian government has officially declared the disappearance of Malaysian Airline flight MH370 an accident, reports the BBC.

No trace of the Beijing-bound airplane has been found despite an intense search in the southern Indian Ocean since its disappearance.

Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) Director-General Azharuddin Abdul Rahman read the formal declaration Thursday.

"It is therefore, with the heaviest heart and deepest sorrow that, on behalf of the Government of Malaysia, we officially declare Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 an accident in accordance with the Standards of Annexes 12 and 13 to the Chicago Convention and that all 239 of the passengers and crew on board MH370 are presumed to have lost their lives," he said.

Rahman said the declaration is a legal move to help the victim's families claim compensation.

The majority of the passengers on the aircraft were Chinese, and following Thursday's announcement, China's foreign ministry asked for precisely that.

"We call on the Malaysian side to honor the promise made when they declared the flight to have been lost and earnestly fulfil their compensation responsibilities," spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.

In China, however, some grieving family members are refusing to accept the declaration or compensation at this time.

Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the Malaysian, Chinese and Australian governments are committed to the ongoing search.

MH370 disappeared from radar on March 8, 2014, after departing from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing. The investigation has been marred with speculation and disappointment. In March 2014, a Thai satellite found 300 objects in the Indian Ocean raising hope that the plane had been found, but the debris was not the aircraft. That same month, reportedly, evidence pointed to a hijacking.

The aircraft is believed to have crashed into the Indian Ocean far off the western coast of Australia.

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