Cost of MH370 search set to blow out to over $100M

SEARCHING for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 is proving a costly exercise with Australia’s contribution nearing $80 million in two years.

Distraught ... MH370 next of kin are desperate to see the search continue and the fate of their loved ones finally revealed. Pic: AP

AN expanded search for MH370 is expected to cost up to $100 million on top of the $60 million already spent looking for the missing plane.

The Federal Government has allocated $50 million for the search in 2015-16, and indicated it expects an equal contribution from the Malaysian Government.

The first stage of the search which is more than 75 per cent complete, has cost Australian taxpayers more than $30 million, with Malaysia tipping in $29.6 million.

Team effort . Australia and Malaysia are jointly funding the search for MH370 in the Southern Indian Ocean. Pic: Jason Reed-Pool/Getty Images

Australia’s total budget contribution over two years, will be $79.6 million.

Despite painstaking analysis of a series of “satellite handshakes” with the Boeing 777, searchers have been unable to find any trace of the aircraft in the Southern Indian Ocean.

The Malaysia Airlines’ flight disappeared on March 8, 2014, on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board including six Australians.

An area of 60,000 square kilometres is currently being scoured, and in March the Malaysian, Chinese and Australian Governments agreed to double the size of the search area.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has indicated the extended search could take another year to complete, due to bad weather already being experienced in the area.

Costly search ... Search vessels are using sensitive sonar equipment to try to detect the aircraft on the ocean bed. Pic: ATSB

A spokesman for Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Warren Truss, said the final cost would “depend on a number of factors including the outcome of procurement processes for specialist services and the length of the search”.

The Dutch company Fugro has been contracted to conduct the search, which began last October more than 2000km west of Perth.

Distraught ... MH370 next of kin are desperate to see the search continue and the fate of their loved ones finally revealed. Pic: AP

The budget also allocated funding over four years for permanent border clearance services at Townsville and Sunshine Coast Airport.

The $26.2 million will be shared by the Departments of Agriculture, and Immigration and Border Protection, to enable the airports to “support regular international air services”.

“Increased visitor numbers will boost the tourism industry in Northern Australia, encouraging businesses to invest and helping to unlock the region’s full potential,” noted the budget papers.

Regional and remote air strips have scored a few extra dollars from the budget as well, to ensure aircraft such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service safe access to communities.

Originally published as Cost of MH370 search set to blow out to over $100M