On December 20, 2024, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the Malaysian government has tentatively agreed to accept a new proposal from an American company, Ocean Infinity, for a “no find, no fee” initiative to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.
Ten years ago, the Malaysia Airlines flight is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.
Loke stated that during a meeting last week, cabinet ministers agreed for Ocean Infinity, based in Texas, to restart the underwater search for MH370 next year under the condition of “no find, no fee.”
The proposed new search area by Ocean Infinity is based on the latest information and data analysis conducted by experts and researchers. Loke mentioned in a statement that the company’s proposal is credible.
On March 8, 2014, the Boeing 777 aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing, carrying 239 people, with a majority being Chinese citizens. Satellite data showed the plane diverted from its flight path and headed towards the southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed for reasons unknown.
The search for the wreckage of the Boeing 777 aircraft has progressed slowly over the years, leaving hundreds of families of the victims still haunted by the tragedy.
Jacquita Gonzales, the wife of MH370 flight steward Patrick Gomes, expressed her joy to the New Straits Times, saying, “This news makes me very happy… it feels like the best Christmas gift ever.”
Jiang Hui’s mother was also on the plane, and she told Reuters that the Malaysian government needs to search in a “more open manner” to allow more parties to participate.
In 2017, a two-year search involving multiple countries ended without success. Despite debris washing up on the eastern African coast and Indian Ocean islands during the search period, the $150 million search operation failed to find any significant clues.
In 2018, a private search conducted by Ocean Infinity under similar terms also yielded no results after three months of effort.
As per the new agreement, Ocean Infinity will only receive a $70 million reward if a substantial amount of wreckage is discovered. The Ministry of Transport is set to finalize negotiations with Ocean Infinity in early 2025. The company stated that the best period for the search is from January to April.
Loke added that this decision reflects the government’s commitment to continue the search operation and provide closure to the families of the MH370 passengers.
Various conspiracy theories have emerged surrounding the plane’s disappearance, with some speculating that the pilot deliberately crashed the plane and others suggesting it was shot down by a foreign military. A 2018 investigation into the disappearance found evidence of deliberate manipulation of the plane’s control system to divert it from its course, but no conclusive evidence of who was behind it. Investigators at the time emphasized that “finding the wreckage is essential to draw conclusions.”
Reports indicate that Oliver Plunkett, the CEO of Ocean Infinity, stated earlier this year that the company has improved its technology since 2018. He mentioned that the company is collaborating with numerous experts to analyze data and narrow down the search area to the most likely locations.
Loke mentioned that the new round of search will cover an area of 15,000 square kilometers (5,800 square miles) in the southern Indian Ocean.