Malaysia to resume search for missing flight MH370
The Malaysian government has confirmed it will resume the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished 10 years ago, one of the most puzzling mysteries in aviation history.
Flight MH370, a Boeing 777, disappeared on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board. Despite years of extensive search efforts, the wreckage has never been found, leaving hundreds of families still grappling with the tragedy.
On Friday, Malaysia's Transport Minister, Anthony Loke, announced that the cabinet had approved a preliminary agreement with U.S.-based marine exploration company Ocean Infinity to restart the search. The deal, worth $70 million (£56 million), is structured under a "no find, no fee" arrangement, meaning Ocean Infinity will only receive payment if the aircraft's wreckage is discovered.
A previous search for the wreckage in 2018, conducted under similar terms by Ocean Infinity, ended without success after three months. Prior to that, a multinational search effort, costing $150 million (£120 million), was suspended in 2017 after two years of scouring vast areas of the southern Indian Ocean. At the time, the governments of Malaysia, Australia, and China had stated the search would resume only if "credible new evidence" emerged regarding the aircraft's location.
While the Malaysian government has agreed in principle to Ocean Infinity's proposal, Loke indicated that discussions on the specific terms of the agreement are still ongoing and are expected to be finalised in early 2024.
The new search will focus on a 15,000-square-kilometre area in the southern Indian Ocean, identified based on recent data that Malaysia's government considers "credible." Loke expressed optimism, saying, "We hope this time will be positive," adding that finding the wreckage would provide closure for the families of those on board.
A long-awaited hope for families
The announcement of the resumed search has been met with mixed emotions by the families of those lost in the MH370 disaster, many of whom have waited nearly 11 years for answers.
Jacquita Gonzales, the wife of inflight supervisor Patrick Gomes, said she was "so happy for the news... [It] feels like the best Christmas present ever," according to the *New Straits Times*. Meanwhile, Intan Maizura Othaman, whose husband Mohd Hazrin Mohamed Hasnan was a cabin crew member on MH370, expressed both hope and sorrow. "This announcement stirs mixed emotions—hope, gratitude, and sorrow. After nearly 11 years, the uncertainty and pain of not having answers have been incredibly difficult for us," she said.
Jiang Hui, whose mother was on the plane, called on the Malaysian government to adopt a "more open approach" to the search, urging them to allow more parties to be involved in the effort.
In response, Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Plunkett described the government's decision as "great news." He added, "We look forward to sharing further updates in the new year once we've finalised the details and the team gets ready to go."
MH370’s disappearance: The search for answers
Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur in the early hours of March 8, 2014, but lost communication with air traffic control less than an hour after takeoff. Radar data indicated the aircraft deviated from its intended flight path, leading investigators to believe it crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean. However, the reason for the plane's disappearance remains unclear.
While fragments of debris, believed to be from MH370, have washed up on various shores of the Indian Ocean in the years since the plane went missing, no definitive answers have emerged.
Numerous conspiracy theories have surfaced over the years, with some speculating that the pilot deliberately diverted the plane, while others have claimed it was shot down by a foreign military. A 2018 investigation into the disappearance concluded that the aircraft's controls were likely manipulated deliberately to take it off course, but it did not identify the individual or group responsible for the actions.
At the time, investigators stated that the true answer could only be conclusive if the wreckage were located. This statement remains true today, as the search for MH370 continues, offering hope that one of aviation’s greatest mysteries may finally be solved.