In a significant development for the long-unsolved mystery of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that the government has agreed in principle to a new search for the plane’s wreckage, marking the latest chapter in the decade-long quest for answers.

The new search will be conducted by Texas-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity, which has offered a “no find, no fee” proposal, meaning Malaysia will only pay a fee if the wreckage is discovered.

The Boeing 777, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard, vanished on March 8, 2014, over the Southern Indian Ocean. Despite two major international search efforts, which covered vast stretches of the ocean, the plane’s final resting place has remained elusive.

The new search will focus on a 15,000 square kilometer area, based on updated data, with Ocean Infinity utilizing its fleet of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to scour the depths of the ocean floor.

These vehicles, equipped with advanced sonar systems, HD cameras, and other high-tech sensors, are capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters, offering a better chance of uncovering new clues that were missed in previous searches.

The “no find, no fee” deal is the second of its kind between the Malaysian government and Ocean Infinity. The first agreement, for a search conducted in 2018, ultimately ended without success after 90 days of exploration.

The company, however, remains optimistic about the new mission, which will cover a new zone in the southern Indian Ocean that has not been thoroughly explored before.

Minister Loke emphasized that the government’s commitment to the next-of-kin of the passengers remains strong.

“Our responsibility and obligation and commitment is to the next of kin,” Loke said, noting that the hope is that this new search will finally bring closure to the grieving families. “We hope this time will be positive, that the wreckage will be found and give closure to the families.”

The previous search efforts, led by a collaboration between Malaysia, Australia and China, focused on a 120,000 square kilometer area, but did not yield significant results.

The ongoing search for MH370 has been marked by a high degree of public and media interest, particularly among the families of the more than 150 Chinese passengers who were on board the flight. These families have also sought compensation from Malaysia Airlines, Boeing, Rolls-Royce, and Allianz.

Ocean Infinity’s proposal has been hailed as a “solid” plan by Loke, who confirmed that the company will receive a fee of $70 million (approximately €67.5 million) only if substantial wreckage is found.

The search is expected to resume between January and April 2025, with the aim of bringing new closure to one of the most enduring aviation mysteries in history.

As the search continues, the world watches closely, hoping for a breakthrough that will finally reveal the fate of Flight MH370 and offer long-awaited answers to the families of those lost.