Locate MH370, get reward, says Malaysia

The Malaysian gov­ernment has unexpectedly offered a possible reward if the MH370 aircraft is found.

Malaysian Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi.

Speculation that non-government groups such as a private company or rich adventurer might launch a renewed search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been heightened by the Malaysian gov­ernment unexpectedly offering a possible reward if the aircraft is found.

The exploration of new initi­atives to carry on the underwater search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean comes after the three governments funding it, Australia, Malaysia and China, announced on Tuesday that it had been called off now that the sonar imaging of a 120,000sq km target zone had been completed.

Malaysian Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said his government was open to “credible” private companies launching their own search for the Boeing 777.

“There will be cash rewards in the millions (of Malaysian ringgits) for those who are able to find substantial information or evidence like the fuselage,” Mr Aziz said, but the exact amount was to be decided. Boeing had not made a contribution.