KUALA LUMPUR: The lack of any evidence indicating what caused flight MH370's disappearance raises a legal conundrum that is expected to force Malaysia Airlines into out-of-court settlements with angry next-of-kin, aviation law experts say.

More than two months since MH370 disappeared, no wreckage has been found to even confirm a crash, let alone apportion blame.

But relatives of the 239 people on board can still pursue Malaysia Airlines because under international aviation law it is an airline's responsibility to prove it was not to blame for an accident.

"On the surface, (Malaysia Airlines) is responsible," said Jeremy Joseph, a Malaysian attorney specialising in transport law.

The "burden of proof" rests on the national carrier to clear its name, he added.