The search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume this month, the Malaysian transport ministry has confirmed, more than a decade after the plane vanished in one of aviation's greatest mysteries. The ministry announced on Wednesday that marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will restart seabed operations from 30 December, over a period of 55 days, with intermittent activity.
The new search will target areas believed to have the highest likelihood of locating the missing aircraft, though exact locations have not been disclosed. The agreement with Ocean Infinity is on a 'no-find, no-fee' basis, with the company receiving $70m only if wreckage is discovered. The search will cover a new 15,000 sq km site in the Indian Ocean.
Flight MH370, a B777-200, departed Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am on 8 March 2014, bound for Beijing, carrying 12 Malaysian crew and 227 passengers, mostly Chinese citizens. It veered off course and vanished from radar, last seen heading west over the Strait of Malacca. Despite extensive multinational searches, only scattered debris has been found, including a wing part on Réunion Island in 2015.
Danica Weeks, whose husband Paul was on board, expressed gratitude for the renewed search, saying, 'We've never stopped wishing for answers, and knowing the search will go on brings a sense of comfort.' Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade supported the effort, hoping it would bring closure to families. Beijing's foreign ministry also appreciated Malaysia's initiative.
Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane, welcomed the continued search but hoped future efforts would have no fixed period. Families have long campaigned for answers, with some travelling to Madagascar in 2016 to search for debris. Legal actions have been pursued against Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Allianz.
The most recent search activity in the southern Indian Ocean was suspended in April due to poor weather. The new operation is set to begin on 30 December, offering renewed hope for resolution to one of aviation's most enduring mysteries.
