The Malaysian government has expressed support for a proposed new search for missing flight MH370, which disappeared ten years ago this week.
The Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared mid-flight on March 8, 2014 with 239 people on board.
Despite extensive multinational searches in the southern Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have crashed, the plane disappeared without a trace and the victims’ families remain desperate for answers.
US maritime robotics company Ocean Infinity has now announced its proposal for a 15,000 square kilometer search in the Southern Indian Ocean, off the coast of Australia.
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he was considering the proposal on a ‘no find, no fee’ basis.
“As far as the Malaysian government is concerned, we are committed to justice and the search must continue,” he said on Sunday at a 10-year commemoration ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, where loved ones of the victims gathered.
The Malaysian government has expressed support for a proposed new search for the missing MH370 flight that disappeared ten years ago this week (pictured loved ones of victims at a memorial service in Malaysia)
“The government stands firm in our decision to locate MH370. We really hope that the search can find the plane and tell the relatives the truth.’
Mr Loke said he had invited Ocean Infinity to further discuss the plan and possible costs should the search mission be successful.
New scientific evidence about where the plane may have ended up will be evaluated as part of the discussions.
He hopes that the Malaysian cabinet can approve the proposal in the coming weeks.
Mr Loke added that the Australian Government would be asked for their cooperation once Ocean Infinity finalized their proposal.
The last official search for the plane took place in 2018 – also by Ocean Infinity – and shed no light on what may have happened to the plane or its passengers.
Details about the company’s latest search proposal have yet to be revealed.
Last time, Malaysia offered the company a $70 million reward if it found the missing plane within 90 days.
Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett told the New Straits Times that the company had improved its technology since 2018.
“We now feel in a position to return to the search for MH370,” he told the English-language daily. “We have worked with many experts, some outside of Ocean Infinity, to continue analyzing the data in the hope of narrowing the search scope to an area where success may become achievable.”
Despite extensive multinational searches in the southern Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have crashed, the plane disappeared without a trace and the families of the victims remain desperate for answers (police are seen transporting debris from unidentified planes that crashed in 2015 the French Indian Ocean have been found). )
Victims’ loved ones are seen sharing heartfelt messages on the ten-year anniversary of the disappearance of flight MH370
As many as 500 relatives of the victims of flight MH370 gathered at a shopping center in the Malaysian city of Subang Jaya for the service on Sunday.
As many as 500 relatives of victims killed on flight MH370 gathered at a shopping center in the Malaysian city of Subang Jaya for the service on Sunday.
We saw many crying and comforting each other, while candles were also lit in honor of the victims.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) conducted an underwater search for the aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean from May 2014 until the operation was suspended in January 2017.
The wreckage of MH370 has still not been found almost a decade later, despite its disappearance sparking the largest ever multinational search operation.
The flight from Kuala Lumpur was bound for Beijing and carried passengers from 14 different countries.
Within 40 minutes of what should have been a routine flight, MH370 crossed from Malaysia into Vietnamese airspace.
It was at this point that the passenger plane disappeared from civilian radars and the captain’s now infamous last words were heard.
“Good night, Malaysia 370.”
The plane’s disappearance has given rise to numerous theories about what may have happened, including one theory that it was a murder-suicide by the pilot.
The flight from Kuala Lumpur was bound for Beijing and carried passengers from 14 different countries