The guidelines that we know have failed on multiple Malaysia flights are those for the ELTs and distress calls.
Troubled aircraft arent being located. That’s a failure of the mandated location systems and standards...a failure of bureaucrats.
There should be resignations and firings.
That airplane was 2008 vintage, so it’s probably not an ELT problem.
ELT’s aren’t effective for crash sites under water. It would have activated at the moment of the crash, but it soon would have submerged.
ULB’s are though (underwater locater beacon) but they have limited range.
My understanding is, the waters in that area are very shallow, so if a ship with a ULB locater passes nearby, it will be found. Or an airplane specially equipped to detect ULBs from the air (Navy P-6).