The Malaysian government has given final approval for a Texas-based marine robotics company to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean over a decade ago. Cabinet ministers have agreed to terms and conditions for a “no-find, no-fee” contract with Ocean Infinity, a company based in Texas. The company will resume the seabed search in a new 15,000-square-kilometer (5,800-square-mile) area of the ocean. Ocean Infinity will only receive $70 million if wreckage is found.
The Boeing 777 disappeared from radar shortly after departing on March 8, 2014, with 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, on board. The flight was traveling from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Satellite data later indicated the plane had deviated from its flight path and headed south toward the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed.
A costly multinational search failed to uncover any leads about the plane’s location, although some debris was found on the east African coast and various islands in the Indian Ocean. In 2018, a private search conducted by Ocean Infinity also turned up no significant findings.
The final approval for a new search was granted three months after Malaysia initially agreed in principle to plans for a renewed search. Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett stated earlier this year that the company has enhanced its technology since 2018. He mentioned that the firm is collaborating with numerous experts to analyze data and has focused the search area on the most likely location.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that his ministry would soon finalize a contract with Ocean Infinity, although specific details about the terms were not provided. The company has reportedly sent a search vessel to the site and indicated that the best time for the search is between January and April.
“The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370,” Loke said in a statement.