The Malaysian cabinet has officially approved a new search operation for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which has captivated the world for over a decade since its disappearance in 2014. The search will target a previously unexamined area of 15,000 square kilometers in the southern Indian Ocean, with a "no find, no fee" arrangement with the exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which stands to earn $70 million (£56 million) if the wreckage is discovered.
Malaysia Commits to New Search for Infamous MH370 Wreckage in Indian Ocean
Malaysia Commits to New Search for Infamous MH370 Wreckage in Indian Ocean
Malaysian government green-lights renewed search efforts for the long-missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in a bid to provide closure to affected families.
Flight MH370 vanished with 239 individuals onboard while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, and has since remained one of aviation's greatest enigmas, leaving families of the passengers in despair. Despite extensive and costly searches in preceding years, including a multinational effort that amassed $150 million (£120 million), no wreckage has been located. The three nations involved—Malaysia, Australia, and China—previously stated they would only reinstate the search if credible new leads emerged, and such conditions appear met following this recent decision.
Efforts by Ocean Infinity in 2018 under similar conditions also ended fruitlessly after 90 days, prompting Malaysia's government to signal its commitment to resume searching as of March. Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook emphasized that this renewed initiative is aimed at providing closure to the grieving families of the passengers.
Flight MH370 departed Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, but less than an hour later, it vanished from radar screens, having deviated from its intended course. While it is widely believed the aircraft crashed into the southern Indian Ocean, the factors leading to this tragic event remain undefined. Debris believed to be connected to the flight has washed ashore in the years following its disappearance, further fueling rampant conspiracy theories—including suggestions of deliberate actions on the pilot's part or a military intervention.
An investigation in 2018 indicated that the aircraft's controls likely experienced deliberate manipulation, although a definitive explanation eluded experts. The new search has hammered two sentiments among the families of the passengers—while some view it as a step toward closure, others express a sense of bittersweet uncertainty.
Efforts by Ocean Infinity in 2018 under similar conditions also ended fruitlessly after 90 days, prompting Malaysia's government to signal its commitment to resume searching as of March. Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook emphasized that this renewed initiative is aimed at providing closure to the grieving families of the passengers.
Flight MH370 departed Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, but less than an hour later, it vanished from radar screens, having deviated from its intended course. While it is widely believed the aircraft crashed into the southern Indian Ocean, the factors leading to this tragic event remain undefined. Debris believed to be connected to the flight has washed ashore in the years following its disappearance, further fueling rampant conspiracy theories—including suggestions of deliberate actions on the pilot's part or a military intervention.
An investigation in 2018 indicated that the aircraft's controls likely experienced deliberate manipulation, although a definitive explanation eluded experts. The new search has hammered two sentiments among the families of the passengers—while some view it as a step toward closure, others express a sense of bittersweet uncertainty.
