The families of those who died on MH370 will mark 1000 days since the doomed Malaysia Airlines flight vanished by travelling to Madagascar to search for debris.
Investigators have confirmed several pieces of wreckage found on Africa's east coast as either definitely or almost certainly being part the Boeing 777, which disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board.
But there has been no systematic, official search, so representatives of the association for families of passengers and crew, Voice370, are now doing their own.
Grace Nathan, whose mother died in the tragedy, is among four Malaysians who will depart Kuala Lumpur for Madagascar on Saturday, along with two Chinese men and a French man who all lost their wives.
Ms Nathan said the group of seven would be guided by the research of University of Western Australia oceanographer Charitha Pattiaratchi, who used drift modelling to correctly predict the first piece of debris would wind up in Madagascar.
He even predicted when it would reach land, one year before it came to rest on the shore, she noted.
Professor Pattiaratchi directed American lawyer Blaine Gibson towards Mozambique and Madagascar, where the amateur investigator found debris.
"We will look for debris in high probability areas based on his research," Ms Nathan told AAP.
She despaired that debris found by Mr Gibson in Madagascar, "lay languishing" and uncollected by Malaysian officials for more than half a year.
The group will hold a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport before departing.
On Sunday, they will meet with heads of church missions to ask for help raising awareness in rural Madagascar and coastline communities about the potential for more debris washing up.
The next day will involve meeting officials and more non-government agencies and handing out fact sheets and brochures about identifying, collecting and preserving debris.
The group will then divide into two, with one party going to Toamasina on the island's east coast and the other to Isle St Marie, targeting Riake beach, where Mr Gibson found personal items including several bags.
They also hope to comb Antongil Bay for debris before leaving Madagascar on December 11.
On Friday, 1000 days had elapsed since the jetliner disappeared from radar screens.
The final stages of the 120,000 square kilometre official search in the southern Indian Ocean is expected to take until January or February to complete.
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