Hopes remain high for finding missing jetliner

The man responsible for overseeing the exhaustive search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 remains positive about the prospect of finding the jet, even though the operation marked its 500-day milestone on Tuesday.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau Chief Commissioner Martin Dolan said spirits among the search party remained high, 16 months after the plane's unexplained disappearance on March 8 last year.

"We still remain confident it will be found in the next year," Dolan told News Limited on Tuesday.