Malaysia has agreed in principle to resume the search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370, more than 10 years after it disappeared in one of the world’s greatest aviation mysteries. The Boeing 777 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the proposal to search a new area in the southern Indian Ocean came from exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which had conducted the last search for the plane that ended in 2018. The firm stands to receive $70 million if substantive wreckage is found.
Loke emphasized the government's commitment to the next of kin, stating, “Our responsibility and obligation is to the families. We hope this time will be positive, that the wreckage will be found and give closure to the families.”
Debris believed to be from the aircraft has been found along the coast of Africa and on islands in the Indian Ocean. Malaysian investigators had initially considered the possibility that the plane was deliberately diverted off course.
More than 150 Chinese passengers were on the flight, with their relatives seeking compensation from various entities including Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and the Allianz insurance group.
In 2018, Malaysia engaged Ocean Infinity to search the southern Indian Ocean, offering a reward of up to $70 million for locating the plane. Despite two unsuccessful attempts, the search continues. Prior to this, Malaysia, Australia, and China had conducted an underwater search in a 120,000 square kilometer area of the southern Indian Ocean based on satellite data.
