Malaysia approves new search for MH370

The search will cover a 15,000 sqkm area in the southern Indian Ocean for the lost plane, under a ‘no find, no fee’ agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity.

US marine robotics company Ocean Infinity will search again for MH370. Picture: 60 Minutes

The Malaysian cabinet has approved a fresh search for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, more than a decade after the aircraft vanished.

Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook said the government had agreed to terms and conditions of an agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to resume the search for the wreckage of the missing plane.

The search will cover a 15,000 sqkm area in the southern Indian Ocean, under a “no find, no fee” agreement with Ocean Infinity.

Under the agreement, the company will receive $70m (£56m) – but only if the wreckage is found, Mr Loke said.

“This paves the way for Ocean Infinity to begin seabed search operations in a new 15,000 sqkm area,” Mr Loke said in a statement.

“The government is committed to continuing the search and providing closure for the families of MH370 passengers,” he added.

Flight MH370 disappeared in 2014 with 239 people on board while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The 227 passengers included six Australian citizens and a New Zealand resident who was based in Perth.

Its disappearance is one of the world’s greatest aviation mysteries, which continues to haunt the families of the passengers.