Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia announced that the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will restart on December 30, more than 11 years after the aircraft disappeared with 239 people on board. The government confirmed that the new effort will be carried out by Ocean Infinity, a United States based deep sea exploration company.
The new search will focus on a specific high probability area in the southern Indian Ocean, where experts believe the aircraft may have crashed based on satellite data analysis. The operation is expected to continue for 55 days. This time, the search area is smaller and more targeted than earlier attempts. Officials hope that improved technology and updated analysis may help locate the wreckage.
The agreement between Malaysia and Ocean Infinity is based on a no find, no fee policy. It means the company will only be paid if the wreckage is discovered. Reports suggest the payment could reach up to 70 million dollars if the team successfully finds the aircraft.
The disappearance of MH370 on March 8, 2014 remains one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history. Despite several previous searches, including one of the largest ocean mapping missions ever conducted, the main wreckage has never been found. Only a few pieces of debris confirmed to be from the aircraft washed ashore years later on beaches in the western Indian Ocean.
Families of passengers and crew have repeatedly urged the Malaysian government to resume the search. Many said they are relieved that a new attempt will begin and hope it will finally provide answers and closure.
Authorities say the decision to resume the search shows that the government remains committed to solving the mystery. Aviation experts around the world are closely watching the effort, as the discovery of the wreck could help explain what went wrong and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
For now, as the renewed mission begins, families and observers are waiting with hope that after more than a decade, the long search may finally lead to the truth.