The Malaysian government has officially approved a renewed search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, enlisting Texas-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity. The company will undertake the operation under a no-find, no-fee agreement, targeting a new 15,000-square-kilometer area in the southern Indian Ocean, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
Under the deal, Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million only if it locates the wreckage. The Boeing 777 disappeared from radar on March 8, 2014, during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board, most of whom were Chinese nationals.
Renewed Hope as Malaysia Approves Fresh MH370 Search with Upgraded Tech
Satellite data showed that the plane turned from its flight path and headed south. It is believed to have crashed in the far-southern Indian Ocean.
An expensive multinational search failed to find any clues to its location. However, debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing. The final approval for a new search came three months later. This followed Malaysia’s initial approval in principle for a fresh search.
Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett earlier this year reportedly said the company had improved its technology since 2018. He said the firm is working with many experts to analyze data. They have narrowed the search area to the most likely site.
Loke said his ministry will ink a contract with Ocean Infinity soon but didn’t provide details on the terms. The firm has reportedly sent a search vessel to the site and indicated that January-April is the best period for the search.
The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370, he said in a statement.
Also Read: Academic Freedom: A Fundamental Principle, Not a Myth
