Malaysia approves fresh attempt to search for missing plane MH370
The Malaysian Cabinet has given the green light for a new attempt to find the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared in 2014 in the southern Indian Ocean.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced on Dec 20 that US-based private marine exploration company Ocean Infinity has been tasked with resuming the undersea search for the plane’s wreckage within a 15,000 sq km area off the coast of Western Australia.
“They have informed us that the best time for searching is between January and April. We are trying to finalise the contract as soon as possible. They have committed that the search will begin once the contract is signed,” Loke said.
He told reporters in Putrajaya that the Cabinet agreed in principle on Dec 13 to proceed with another search.
The Transport Ministry is negotiating the terms of the contract with Ocean Infinity, and it will be finalised in early 2025.
The contract is based on a “no find, no fee” principle, meaning the government will not pay if nothing is found. Should the wreckage be found, Ocean Infinity is seeking a US$70 million (S$95 million) fee – similar to that proposed in 2018.
“The contract will last for about 18 months. All other terms and conditions will be finalised and brought to the Attorney-General’s Chamber for vetting,” said Loke.
One of the key negotiating points is the definition of the wreckage size that triggers payment, he said.
“It’s not just about finding one or two pieces (that will be) considered wreckage,” he said, noting that a team of experts will help to define and verify the exact terms that would qualify as wreckage found.
The latest effort is a show of the government’s commitment to providing closure for the families of MH370 passengers, said Mr Loke.
“I made this commitment during the 10th anniversary of the MH370 remembrance in March 2024. I am sure this is what the next of kin has been waiting for. I truly hope that this time around it will turn out positively, and that wreckage can be found to at least provide some answers for the families.”
He added that some of the families of the MH370 victims had been privately informed before the press conference.
On March 8, 2014, the flight took off from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members. But the Boeing 777 plane later vanished and was never seen again.
After the disappearance, Malaysia, China and Australia conducted a joint search for the wreckage in a 120,000 sq km area in the southern Indian Ocean. However, the countries ended their joint search in January 2017 after no significant findings.
Ocean Infinity’s first search effort, which started in January 2018 in a narrowed 25,000 sq km area in the southern Indian Ocean, ended in June 2018 without results.
“The significance of this renewed search cannot be overstated. For the families of passengers, the scientific community, and global civil aviation safety, it offers renewed hope for long-awaited answers and closure,” Voice370, the support group for the families of MH370 passengers, said in a statement issued hours after the Malaysian government’s announcement.
“If these efforts lead to safer air travel for the global public, the search and its successful conclusion will have been profoundly worthwhile,” the group added. “We continue to hope that our wait for answers will be met.”
In November 2023, a Beijing court began hearings on compensation claims from more than 40 families of Chinese passengers aboard the flight, representing two-thirds of the total passenger manifest.
Following the start of the lawsuit, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s continued follow-up on the incident, adding that he hoped all parties would maintain close communication.
The mysterious disappearance of MH370 was a major point of contention in Malaysia-China relations.
In March 2014, 200 families of Chinese passengers aboard MH370 staged a rare protest outside the Malaysian Embassy in Beijing, two hours after learning that none of the passengers on the doomed flight had survived.
In the months that followed, there were also calls for boycotts of Malaysian products and travel to Malaysia.
Lu Wei Hoong
The Straits Times
Asia News Network
