Malaysia: The Malaysian government has agreed to resume the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared a decade ago, in one of the most puzzling aviation mysteries. The flight, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people on board, and despite extensive efforts, its devastation has never been found.
Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that the Cabinet has agreed in principle a $70 million deal with U.S.-based marine exploration firm Ocean Infinity to continue the search. Under the “no find, no fee” agreement, Ocean Infinity will only receive payment if the wreckage is located.
Previous attempts to locate the Boeing 777 have been unsuccessful. In 2018, Ocean Infinity searched for similar terms, but after three months, no trace of the aircraft was found. A prior multinational search, costing $150 million, ended in 2017 after two years of exploring vast areas of the southern Indian Ocean.
The new search will focus on a 15,000 square kilometre area, which authorities hope will finally yield answers. While the deal is still subject to final negotiations, Loke expressed optimism, stating that finding the wreckage would bring closure to the families of those who lost loved ones.
Flight MH370 lost communication with air traffic control less than an hour after takeoff and veered off course, with radar indicating its deviation from the planned flight path. Investigators have largely decided that the aircraft crashed somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean, though the exact cause remains unknown.
Several pieces of debris, supposed to be from the plane, have washed up on shores around the Indian Ocean in the years since its disappearance. Conspiracy theories surrounding the incident have flourished, including claims of deliberate actions by the pilot or that the plane was shot down by foreign military forces.
A 2018 investigation suggested that the plane’s controls were likely exploited to divert it from its route, but the investigation did not draw any conclusions about the motives or individuals involved. As the search continues, investigators maintain that the true cause of the disappearance can only be determined if the wreckage is found.
MOST READ | Starbucks Baristas to strike over Pay, Threaten Nationwide walkouts
