Malaysia’s transportation ministry announced on Wednesday that the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the deep sea will recommence on December 30, raising hopes of finally discovering the aircraft that disappeared over ten years ago. The Boeing 777 plane vanished from radar soon after departing on March 8, 2014, with 239 individuals, primarily Chinese citizens, onboard, flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Satellite data indicated that the plane deviated from its planned route and flew south towards the remote southern Indian Ocean, where it is presumed to have crashed.
The ministry disclosed that the U.S.-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will conduct intermittent searches starting December 30 for a total of 55 days in specific areas identified as having the highest probability of locating the missing plane. Emphasizing the Malaysian government’s dedication to offering closure to the affected families, the ministry stated, “The latest development highlights Malaysia’s commitment to bringing resolution to the families impacted by this tragic event.”
In March, Malaysia’s government approved a “no-find, no-fee” agreement with Ocean Infinity to recommence the underwater search operation at a new 15,000-square-kilometer location in the ocean. Ocean Infinity will only receive $97 million Canadian dollars if wreckage is found. The search was halted in April due to adverse weather conditions. Despite an extensive multinational search effort yielding no leads on its whereabouts, debris was discovered on the eastern African coast and islands in the Indian Ocean. A private search conducted by Ocean Infinity in 2018 also yielded no results.