A marine robotics company based in Texas has received final authorization to initiate a fresh search for the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared 11 years ago en route to Beijing. The new search will focus on a previously unexplored area of the Indian Ocean.
The ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight was carrying a total of 239 individuals, including 227 passengers and 12 crew members, when it vanished from radar after departing Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on March 8, 2014. Satellite data revealed that the aircraft deviated from its intended course and headed towards the southern Indian Ocean, where it is presumed to have crashed. Despite ongoing efforts, the wreckage and the cause of the disappearance remain elusive.
The Malaysian government has agreed to a “no-find, no-fee” agreement with Ocean Infinity, a Texas company, to resume the underwater search operation. The search will recommence in a new 5,800-square-mile zone in the ocean, as announced by Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Expressing commitment to bringing closure to the families of the MH370 passengers, Mr. Loke stated that Ocean Infinity will only receive payment of $70 million (£53.8 million) if the wreckage is located. This approval follows Malaysia’s initial endorsement of a renewed search plan three months prior. The previous search attempt by the American company in 2018 concluded without success after three months.
Ocean Infinity’s CEO, Oliver Punkett, has indicated advancements in the company’s technology since the previous search. The company is collaborating with experts to analyze data and has narrowed down the search area to the most probable location. A search vessel, named Armada 78 06, has been deployed to the designated zone in the Indian Ocean, approximately 1,200 miles off the coast of Perth, Australia, to capitalize on favorable search conditions before winter sets in.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology including 3D-imagers, sonars, lasers, and cameras, the vessel is poised for the search mission. Mr. Loke mentioned that a contract with Ocean Infinity will be finalized soon, with specific terms undisclosed at this time.
The disappearance of Flight MH370 has become a perplexing aviation mystery, with numerous international search operations yielding inconclusive results and costs escalating into the hundreds of millions of pounds. Despite extensive efforts spanning both air and underwater searches, the fate of the aircraft remains unknown.
Over the past decade, various theories have emerged regarding the fate of the flight, with Australian authorities conducting a prolonged search effort that did not yield any significant findings. Although debris believed to be from the plane has surfaced over the years, confirmed pieces of MH370 have been discovered along African coastlines and on islands in the Indian Ocean. Families of the passengers and concerned parties continue to seek answers and accountability from the entities involved in the aircraft’s operation.
The passengers aboard the flight hailed from diverse nations, with a majority being Chinese nationals, alongside individuals from Malaysia, Australia, Indonesia, India, France, Ukraine, the US, and other countries.