A renewed deep-sea search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has commenced in the Indian Ocean, over nine years after the aircraft vanished with 239 people on board. This latest initiative aims to uncover the truth behind one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries, which has perplexed investigators since the plane disappeared on March 8, 2014.
On Wednesday, Malaysia’s Transport Ministry announced that the search vessel, the Armada 86 05, had arrived at a designated search area equipped with two autonomous underwater vehicles. The exact location of this area was not disclosed, but it is understood that preparations for the search took place at Fremantle Port in Western Australia.
While the government did not explicitly mention Ocean Infinity, the company responsible for previous searches and expected to lead this operation, the vessel identified matches those associated with Ocean Infinity. Earlier this month, the Malaysian government confirmed that the Texas-based marine robotics firm would resume its search under a renewed “no-find, no-fee” agreement.
Ocean Infinity has acknowledged the restart of the search for MH370 but has refrained from providing further details, citing the “important and sensitive nature” of the operation. The company previously conducted seabed searches in 2018 under a similar contract, but did not locate any traces of the aircraft. Since then, Ocean Infinity has upgraded its technology and enhanced its analytical capabilities.
According to Oliver Plunkett, CEO of Ocean Infinity, the firm is collaborating with multiple experts to narrow down the search zone to what they believe is the most probable crash site. Earlier in 2023, Ocean Infinity briefly resumed seabed search operations in a new area of 15,000 square kilometers in the southern Indian Ocean after receiving approval from Malaysia. However, these efforts were halted in April due to adverse weather conditions.
The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 occurred shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing. Satellite data later indicated that the aircraft deviated from its intended flight path, veering south toward the remote southern Indian Ocean, where investigators believe it ultimately crashed. The reasons for this course change remain unexplained.
A substantial multinational search effort, which became one of the most expensive in aviation history, failed to locate the aircraft. Although pieces of debris believed to be from MH370 have washed ashore along the coast of East Africa and on islands in the Indian Ocean, the main wreckage and any bodies have never been recovered. The renewed search represents another attempt to bring closure to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic event.
