US search company Ocean Infinity offers to look for MH370

A US seabed exploration company has offered to take the financial risk of a renewed search for missing Flight MH370.

Australian RAAF Orion P3 searches the southern Indian Ocean for missing Malaysian flight MH370 Picture: Stewart Allen

American seabed exploration company Ocean Infinity yesterday offered to take the financial risk of a renewed search for missing Malaysia Airlines MH370, as victims’ families urged the ­Malaysian government to agree to a private-sector hunt wreckage.

Malaysia, Australia and China suspended a nearly three-year search in the southern ­Indian Ocean in January after scouring 120,000sq km of ­remote seabed off Western Australia and failing to find any trace off the plane.

Ocean Infinity, based in Houston, Texas, said it remained hopeful that Malaysia would ­accept its offer to continue the search using a team of advanced, fast-moving deep-sea drones ­fitted with sonar equipment.

“The terms of the offer are confidential, but I can ... confirm that Ocean Infinity have offered to take on the economic risk of a renewed search,” company spokesman Mark Antelme said.

“We’re in a constructive ­dialogue with the relevant authorities and are hopeful that the offer will be accepted.’’

Voice370, a support group for families of the 239 people on board, said under the terms of the offer made in April, Ocean Infinity “would like to be paid a reward if and only if it finds the main debris field”.

“Why hasn’t Malaysia ­accepted this win-win offer?” Voice370 asked in a statement.

Malaysia did not immediately respond yesterday.

An international board of ­experts has concluded, based on analysis of Boeing 777 debris that drifted and washed up on western Indian Ocean beaches, the flight most likely crashed in a 25,000sq km area of ocean on the northern boundary of the last search zone off WA.

But Malaysia, Australia and China agree that the newly identified area is too big to justify resuming the publicly funded search, which has already cost $160 million.

Australia has co-ordinated the search on Malaysia’s behalf because MH370 crashed in Australia’s zone of search and rescue responsibility on March 8, 2014, after flying far off course on a journey from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing.

Transport Minister Darren Chester declined to comment on the possibility of a private search.

“Malaysia, as the state of registry for the aircraft, retains overall authority for any future search and any questions regarding possible future search efforts should be directed there,” his ­office said.

“Australia stands ready to assist the Malaysian government in any way it can,” it added.

Ocean Infinity’s website says the company uses the world’s most advanced fleet of autonomous vehicles to make high-resolution seabed surveys of unmapped locations.

AP