Malaysian officials approved a third probe into the Indian Ocean with the goal of recovering wreckage from flight MH370, which disappeared more than a decade ago.
The country has agreed to hire Ocean Infinity to take on the task for a second time touting a “no find, no fee” principle, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
“The proposed new search area, identified by Ocean Infinity, is based on the latest information and data analyses conducted by experts and researchers,” Loke said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press.
“The company’s proposal is credible and merits further examination by the Malaysian government,” he added.
Three nations scoured the deep waters in 2017 during a $150 million effort supported by Australia, China and Malaysia to find the Boeing 777 that went missing midflight in March 2014.
Aboard the flight were mostly Chinese nationals leaving from Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, en route to Beijing.
Ocean Infinity initiated their own private effort in 2018 but found nothing.
The company’s CEO said technology has advanced since then, inspiring hope for a more substantive investigation set to begin in 2025. Under the new deal, Ocean Infinity will get $70 million only if significant wreckage is discovered, Loke said.
“This decision reflects the government’s commitment to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of MH370 passengers,” he added.