Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, that the government had finalised an agreement with U.S.-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity to resume the search in the southern Indian Ocean.
The deal operates under a "no find, no fee" basis, meaning the company will only receive its $70 million payout if it successfully locates the aircraft wreckage.
'The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the MH370 passengers,' Loke stated.
The new search, expected to last 18 months, will focus on a 15,000-square-kilometre section of the ocean floor.
This follows previous search efforts by Malaysia, Australia, and China, which covered a 120,000-square-kilometre area but yielded no definitive answers. Ocean Infinity had also conducted an independent search in 2018 but found nothing.
Investigators have long believed the Boeing 777, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, diverted from its planned route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing before ultimately crashing into the southern Indian Ocean.
While debris linked to the aircraft has washed up along Africa's coast and on islands in the Indian Ocean, the exact crash site remains unknown.
The long road to answers
Following MH370's disappearance on March 8, 2014, a multinational search involving 26 countries failed to locate the wreckage. Investigators determined the aircraft's communication systems were deliberately switched off less than an hour into its flight, after which it changed course and flew for hours until its fuel was exhausted.
Three months ago, Malaysia signalled its willingness to resume the search, and with the latest approval, Ocean Infinity is expected to deploy advanced deep-sea scanning technology to explore the new target area.
Ocean Infinity's CEO, Oliver Plunkett, has previously indicated that the company's technology has significantly improved since its last attempt in 2018. The firm has been working with aviation experts to refine its search strategy, with a vessel already deployed to the site earlier this year.
The search is set to resume between January and April, considered the most favourable window for deep-sea exploration.
For the families of MH370 passengers, the renewed search brings a glimmer of hope after years of frustration and unanswered questions. Many have continued to press for accountability, demanding compensation from Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, and other entities linked to the doomed flight.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
