Malaysia announced plans to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, more than a decade after the Boeing 777 disappeared, leaving one of aviation’s greatest mysteries unresolved.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed the decision during a press conference on Friday, emphasizing the government’s commitment to providing closure to the families of the 239 people on board.
“Our responsibility and obligation are to the next of kin,” Loke said. “We hope this time will be positive, that the wreckage will be found and give closure to the families.”
The new search initiative will be conducted by Ocean Infinity, an exploration company that led the most recent unsuccessful search in 2018. The operation will span 18 months and focus on a 15,000-square-kilometer (5,790-square-mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean.
The agreement is based on a “no-find-no-fee” principle, meaning Ocean Infinity will only receive payment if substantial wreckage is located. The reward for a successful discovery is set at $70 million, Loke confirmed.
While the precise coordinates of the new search area have not been disclosed, Malaysia based the decision on new credible data reviewed by experts and Ocean Infinity’s confidence in identifying the wreckage.
Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members.
The plane’s final transmission came 40 minutes after takeoff as it entered Vietnamese airspace over the Gulf of Thailand. Military radar later tracked the aircraft deviating from its flight path, flying back over northern Malaysia, into the Andaman Sea, and then south into the Indian Ocean. All contact was lost thereafter.
Since its disappearance, debris believed to be from MH370 has washed up on African shores and Indian Ocean islands.
An extensive underwater search by Malaysia, Australia, and China covered 120,000 square kilometers (46,332 square miles) of the Indian Ocean but failed to locate the wreckage. A 2018 report indicated that the plane’s controls were likely deliberately manipulated to veer off course, though investigators were unable to determine who was responsible.
The backgrounds of the captain and co-pilot showed no evidence of suspicious activity, mental health issues, or financial troubles, the report concluded.
Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the flight, welcomed the news but criticized the time taken to resume the search. He also advocated for a more inclusive approach, such as offering public rewards for participation in the search efforts.
Meanwhile, families of victims have sought compensation from entities including Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Allianz.
Loke expressed cautious optimism, noting that while the data is credible, there are no guarantees of finding the wreckage after more than a decade.
“At this point of time, nobody knows for sure,” he said.
