Malaysia has finalized an agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to restart the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook announced on Wednesday. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, disappeared in 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, marking one of the most perplexing aviation mysteries in history.
The renewed search effort will focus on a 15,000 sq km area in the southern Indian Ocean, operating under a “no find, no fee” arrangement. Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million only if the wreckage is found, Loke confirmed.
“The government remains committed to continuing the search and providing closure for the families of those on board MH370,” he said in a statement.
Malaysia had initially agreed in principle to Ocean Infinity’s proposal in December. The company previously conducted an unsuccessful search for the plane in 2018, following earlier efforts by Malaysia, Australia, and China, which had covered a 120,000 sq km area based on satellite data from Inmarsat.
Ship tracking data revealed that a vessel deployed for the search had already reached the designated Indian Ocean zone late last month, even before the agreement was finalized. While the exact duration of the contract remains unclear, Loke had previously indicated it would span 18 months.
