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The underwater drone scanning the ocean for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 ended its eighth mission Monday, having covered about two thirds of its intended territory without finding any sign of the missing plane, CNN reported.

This has been the case for 45 days now, which seems like an eternity for the relatives of the 239 passengers and crew on board, still hoping for a miracle or, at least, closure.

"Emotionally, it's up and down. You know? Sometimes, I'm OK. Sometimes, so-so. Sometimes -- always -- very sad," said Nur Laila Ngah, whose husband worked on the flight's cabin crew.

The couple had been planning to celebrate their 13th anniversary this year. They have three children, ages 12, 10 and 8.

Recalling a conversation she had with her husband before he left, Laila said: "I was asking him, 'are we going to have the next 13 years together?' Of course."

About their children, she said: "They have faith that their father will be coming back."

The Bluefin-21 is expected to began its ninth mission sometime Monday, surveying the bottom of the southern Indian Ocean for traces of the Boeing 777.

These efforts may be a main focus of the search, but they aren't the only part.

Australia's Joint Agency Coordination Centre announced Monday morning that up to 10 military aircraft and 11 ships would participate in the day's search.

Previously, acting Malaysian Transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that "experts have narrowed down the search area."

But are they actually closer to finding anything? "It's difficult to say," Hishammuddin conceded, adding the search "is at a critical juncture."

"I appeal to everybody around the world," he said, "to pray and pray hard that we find something to work on over the next couple of days."