Malaysia to Resume Deep-Sea Search for Missing MH370 Aircraft
New expedition launching December 30 offers fresh hope in solving aviation's greatest mystery
Malaysia’s transport authorities have announced plans to restart the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared over 11 years ago in one of aviation history’s most puzzling mysteries.
The search operation will begin on December 30, according to a statement released by Malaysia’s transport ministry on Wednesday. The move brings renewed hope to families still seeking answers about the fate of their loved ones.
Flight MH370 vanished on March 8, 2014, shortly after departing from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. The Boeing 777 aircraft was carrying 239 passengers and crew members, most of whom were Chinese citizens. Radar tracking showed the plane deviated from its planned route before heading south toward the remote southern Indian Ocean, where experts believe it ultimately crashed.
American marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will lead the search efforts. The firm will conduct operations intermittently over 55 days, focusing on specific areas where experts believe there’s the highest chance of locating the aircraft wreckage.
“The latest development underscores the government of Malaysia’s commitment in providing closure to the families affected by this tragedy,” the transport ministry stated.
The arrangement follows a unique “no-find, no-fee” contract approved by Malaysian authorities in March. Under this agreement, Ocean Infinity will only receive payment $70 million if they successfully locate the wreckage. The company initially planned to search a 15,000-square-kilometer area but had to suspend operations in April due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Previous search attempts have yielded minimal results. An extensive international search operation, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars, failed to determine the plane’s location. Some debris from the aircraft has washed up on shores along the east African coast and various Indian Ocean islands, but these findings haven’t led investigators to the main wreckage site. Ocean Infinity previously conducted a private search in 2018, which also came up empty.
The renewed search represents another chapter in the ongoing effort to solve one of modern aviation’s most enduring mysteries and provide long-awaited answers to the families of those aboard.
