The Malaysian government has announced plans to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished a decade ago in one of aviation’s most baffling mysteries.
Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 during its journey from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 239 passengers and crew. Despite extensive efforts over the years, the Boeing 777’s wreckage remains undiscovered, leaving the families of those onboard still grappling with unanswered questions.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed on Friday that the cabinet had approved, in principle, a $70 million (£56 million) deal with US-based marine exploration firm Ocean Infinity. The arrangement is under a “no find, no fee” contract, meaning the company will only be paid if the wreckage is located.
Ocean Infinity previously conducted a three-month search in 2018 under similar terms but did not succeed. An earlier multinational effort, costing $150 million (£120 million) and involving Malaysia, Australia, and China, ended in 2017 after two years. At the time, the governments agreed to resume the search only if credible new evidence of the aircraft’s location emerged.
According to Loke, the new search will target a 15,000 sq km area in the southern Indian Ocean, guided by recently identified data deemed “credible.” The deal’s specifics are still being negotiated and are expected to be finalized early next year. “We hope this time will yield positive results,” he said, expressing hope that the discovery of the wreckage would bring closure to families.
The announcement was welcomed by relatives of MH370 passengers. Jacquita Gonzales, whose husband Patrick Gomes was an in-flight supervisor on the flight, called the news “the best Christmas present ever.” Another relative, Intan Maizura Othaman, said the decision brought mixed emotions of “hope, gratitude, and sorrow,” adding that the years of uncertainty had been incredibly painful. Jiang Hui, whose mother was aboard the flight, urged the Malaysian government to adopt a more transparent approach to allow wider participation in the search.
Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Plunkett described the government’s decision as “great news” and stated the company looks forward to beginning operations once the deal is finalized.
Flight MH370 disappeared from radar less than an hour after taking off on March 8, 2014. Investigators believe the plane crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, although the reasons behind its deviation from its planned path remain unclear. Over the years, pieces of debris believed to belong to the aircraft have washed ashore on the Indian Ocean’s coastlines.
Numerous conspiracy theories have emerged about the disappearance, including suggestions of deliberate pilot action or military intervention. A 2018 investigation concluded that the plane’s controls were likely manipulated to divert it, but the inquiry did not determine who was responsible. The report emphasized that definitive answers would only emerge if the wreckage is found.
