Malaysia restarts search for MH370

The Boeing 777, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members, went missing on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Malaysia, China and Australia ended their joint search in January 2017 after no significant findings were made.

A subsequent search by the US private marine exploration company Ocean Infinity also ended without results in June 2018.

According to Straits Times , Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed on November 5 that Kuala Lumpur is negotiating with Ocean Infinity about a proposal made by the company in June to continue searching for plane debris in a 15,000 square kilometer area off the coast of Western Australia.

People next to a memorial wall for the ill-fated flight MH370. (Photo: RND)

The proposal is based on a “no find, no charge” principle, meaning the government would not be required to pay a fee if no debris was found.

" Based on the latest information and analysis from experts and researchers, Ocean Infinity's search proposal is well-founded and can be considered by the Malaysian government as the official management unit of the flight ," Mr. Loke told the country's Parliament.

Loke added that Ocean Infinity is offering a fee of $70 million – the same amount as it offered in 2018 – if the debris is found. The Malaysian transport ministry will release further details once negotiations are concluded and the government has given its approval.

Sources familiar with the matter said the new search area has been expanded “in all directions” compared to the area Ocean Infinity surveyed in 2018.

" In addition, the period from November to March is the best time to start the search, the seas in the Southern Hemisphere in summer are calmer than the fierce storms in winter. Every delay will narrow the search window ," a source told The Straits Times.

Months before the 10th anniversary of MH370's disappearance, a court in Beijing began hearing compensation claims from more than 40 families of Chinese passengers on the flight, accounting for two-thirds of the total passengers.

After the lawsuit was filed, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin expressed appreciation for Malaysia’s continued follow-up on the case and hoped both sides would maintain close communication. The mysterious disappearance of MH370 has been a point of tension in relations between Malaysia and China.

In the weeks after MH370 disappeared, families of Chinese passengers and Chinese officials expressed dissatisfaction with the work of Malaysia Airlines and the Malaysian government.

Dr Lam Choong Wah, a defence expert on international and strategic affairs at the University of Malaya, suggested that Kuala Lumpur should cooperate with Beijing in the search for MH370 this time, especially in the context of the upcoming 50th anniversary of bilateral relations.

“ Since the majority of passengers on the flight were Chinese, Malaysia should not refuse to cooperate with Beijing in the search for the debris. China possesses the most advanced seabed exploration technology today ,” Lam said.

Dr Lam referred to Chinese ocean research and survey vessels, such as the Xiangyanghong, which has been operating regularly in the Indian Ocean since 2016.

Quartz

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/malaysia-tai-khoi-dong-cuoc-tim-kiem-mh370-ar905757.html