Search for Missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Resumes After a Decade
The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, missing for over a decade with 239 on board, will resume December 30 in the southern Indian Ocean, led by Ocean Infinity.
Overview
- The search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which vanished 11 years ago with 239 people, is set to resume on December 30, after being suspended in January 2017.
- Ocean Infinity, a U.S.-based marine robotics firm, will conduct a 55-day deep-sea search in targeted areas of the southern Indian Ocean.
- The Malaysian government announced the resumption under a "no-find, no-fee" contract, offering a $70 million reward if wreckage is found within a specified zone.
- Previous extensive multinational searches, covering 120,000 square kilometers off western Australia, yielded only a few small fragments washed ashore.
- Investigators in 2018 concluded the plane was manually turned around in mid-air, with radar and satellite data confirming its deviation towards the southern Indian Ocean.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the MH370 story neutrally, focusing on factual updates about the renewed search and providing essential historical context. They present objective details, such as the 'no find, no fee' arrangement and the 2018 investigation's findings, without sensationalism. The coverage balances technical information with the human impact, maintaining an even-handed approach.
"The deep-sea hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will resume Dec. 30, renewing hopes of finally locating the jet that vanished without a trace more than a decade ago."
ABC News"Malaysia’s government said American marine robotics company Ocean Infinity would resume a seabed hunt for the missing plane on Dec. 30, reigniting hopes that the plane might finally be found."
ABC News"The deep-sea hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will resume Dec. 30, renewing hopes of finally locating the jet that vanished without a trace more than a decade ago."
NPR"The latest development underscores the [Malaysia's] commitment to providing closure to the families affected by this tragedy."
BBC NewsArticles (7)
Center (4)
FAQ
Ocean Infinity is deploying advanced underwater robots, specifically autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) like the HUGIN 6000, equipped with side-scan sonar, multi-beam echo sounders, high-definition cameras, magnetometers, and synthetic aperture sonar. These robots can operate at depths up to 6,000 meters and provide highly accurate seabed mapping and detection.
The 'no-find, no-fee' contract means Ocean Infinity will only be paid if they successfully locate the wreckage of MH370 within the specified search zone. The Malaysian government has agreed to pay $70 million if the plane is found, but nothing if the search is unsuccessful.
The new search area was chosen based on enhanced modeling and drift analysis of debris recovered from African coastlines and Indian Ocean islands, which suggests the wreckage is likely within this 15,000-square-kilometer zone. Previous searches in other areas yielded only a few small fragments, making this region the most probable location.
Previous multinational and private search efforts, including those by Ocean Infinity, covered over 120,000 square kilometers off western Australia but only found a few small fragments of the aircraft. The main wreckage has never been located, and the search was suspended in January 2017 due to lack of results.
Investigators concluded in 2018 that the plane was manually turned around in mid-air, with radar and satellite data confirming its deviation towards the southern Indian Ocean. The exact cause of the disappearance remains unknown, but the evidence suggests deliberate action rather than an accident.
History
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