Malaysia is considering resuming the search for missing flight MH370 a decade ago, with the cooperation of a US technology company.
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke revealed that Ocean Infinity, a Texas-based marine robotics company, has been invited to present its findings on the possible location of the missing plane under a "no find, no fee" arrangement.
What is the basis for the new search?
"The government is steadfast in its determination to locate MH370. We sincerely hope that the search can find the plane and provide the truth to the relatives," Mr Loke said at a 10-year commemoration event last weekend.
Specifically, Malaysia will negotiate with Australia on cooperation to resume search activities after the Malaysian cabinet approved Ocean Infinity's proposal.
Satellite images show a map of the previously planned search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The Boeing 777 disappeared forever en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, attracting global attention.
Although satellite data suggests MH370 veered off course and a crash is believed to have occurred in the southern Indian Ocean, multiple searches across vast swathes of ocean have yielded few clues about its fate.
Ocean Infinity, one of the companies involved in previous campaigns, expressed its determination to continue the search and proposed a renewed effort last year.
Missing MH370: Will the search be reopened?
KS Nathan, a member of the Voice MH370 group made up of relatives of missing passengers, revealed that Ocean Infinity had planned to resume the search earlier but encountered delays due to the delivery of new ships and equipment.
Mr Loke indicated that the government was willing to fund the search if Ocean Infinity could produce convincing evidence. He stressed that cost was not a barrier and predicted there would be no obstacles if the proposal was approved.
The Malaysian government has not disclosed the fee Ocean Infinity is offering for finding the plane, citing ongoing negotiations.
The fate of MH370 remains unclear as there are many hypotheses.
Confused for the past 10 years
For the past 10 years, MH370 has been a mystery that has puzzled the world. On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 departed from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. However, after 38 minutes of travel, at 1:20 a.m., it lost contact with air traffic controllers over the South China Sea. The fate of the Boeing 777 and 239 passengers and crew is still unknown.
French journalist Florence de Changy has been investigating the disappearance for a decade and is the author of a groundbreaking book about the mysterious incident. "It's shocking for the families. The story has been so oppressive that they have no choice but to comply with it and the only thing they can ask for is to continue searching. They worry that if they start to doubt the authorities, they will start to break off negotiations."
In an exclusive interview with The Sun , Florence laid out the key challenges facing this unprecedented aviation incident.
Reaction of passengers' relatives to the missing plane in 2014. Meanwhile, journalist Florence de Changy believes that the debris found is unrelated.
Flight Path: The Mysterious Key
The official information is that the plane was tracked by radar as it passed over Malaysia and disappeared over the Andaman Sea.
Satellite analysis has shown that MH370 turned around and likely plunged into the southern Indian Ocean. The likely crash site has been identified as approximately 2,414 km southwest of Australia.
The most expensive search in aviation history has begun. Malaysia, China and Australia ended a fruitless two-year search in January 2017, at a cost of about $130.46 million. However, apart from the controversial debris, there was no trace of the plane.
Florence found evidence from intelligence and air traffic control sources that the plane crashed at about 2:45 a.m. over the South China Sea — two minutes after it was reported that the cabin had collapsed.
"I am more certain than ever that there was no accident in the southern Indian Ocean. The plane continued flying until 2:40 a.m."
Flight path of MH370 and last known contact
Related debris?
Investigators said the first piece of debris found on July 29, 2015, was a section from the right wing, known as the flaperon. It was found on a beach on Reunion Island, a French territory near Mauritius, about 5,632 kilometers (3,500 miles) from Malaysia.
However, Florence analyzed: There are many good reasons not to believe it is from MH370. First, they have never even identified the origin of the flaperon. That is shocking. Second, they said the flaperon suffered two consecutive shocks, which is not consistent with an accident at sea.
Furthermore, that broken piece of composite material was not meant to float. Yet in the most violent ocean on the planet, it had to travel ten miles a day in a straight line for more than 500 days to reach Reunion.
Plus, it was missing its ID plate, which was a huge red flag. So Florence was convinced it was either planted there or irrelevant.
A piece of debris identified as being from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been found on the French island of La Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
Is the goods a cover?
According to the cargo manifest, the flight contained 4.5 tons of fresh mangosteens, a tropical fruit, along with 2.5 tons of small electrical items. But Florence said: "Mangosteens don't make any sense. It's not the right season, it's a ridiculous number.
Then I found out they were on every MH370 flight for the next month. The biggest hub for illegal trafficking between Africa and China is Kuala Lumpur airport. Mangosteens can be used as a cover for everything, including rhino horns and ivory."
As for electrical goods: "The official report says these goods were not X-rayed. This is a big problem."
Florence suggested the load could have forced an emergency landing, adding: "I believe there was a cargo seizure operation. If you are surrounded by military aircraft, you have to follow orders."
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke (center) holds debris believed to be from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
At the time of the tragedy, Sir Tim Clark, the British chairman of Emirates airline, said most other missing flights in history were "at least 5 or 10 per cent traceable" and that the disappearance of MH370 had raised "a level of suspicion".
However, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, which led the initial search, asked him to stop commenting. Florence said that Tim Clark had the world's largest fleet and did not believe that a plane could disappear like that. In fact, he kept quiet.
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