Malaysia will resume its search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook announced on Wednesday.
The government has reached an agreement with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to recommence the search for the wreckage, which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in 2014.
The Boeing 777, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, vanished without a trace, creating one of aviation’s most enduring mysteries. The new search area, located in the southern Indian Ocean, will cover an estimated 15,000 sq km (5,790 sq miles).
Ocean Infinity will operate under a “no find, no fee” agreement, meaning they will only receive payment if the wreckage is located. The agreed-upon fee for a successful discovery is $70 million.
This renewed effort offers a glimmer of hope for closure to the families of those lost aboard MH370.
“The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the MH370 passengers,” Loke said in a statement.
The government in December said it had agreed in principle with Ocean Infinity’s proposal to resume the hunt for MH370.
The firm had conducted the last search for the plane that ended in 2018 but failed on two attempts.
Those followed an underwater search by Malaysia, Australia and China in a 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq mile) area of the southern Indian Ocean, based on data of automatic connections between an Inmarsat satellite and the plane.
A ship that will look for the missing plane was deployed to its Indian Ocean search zone late last month, ship tracking data showed, even though a deal had yet to be signed with the government.
It was not immediately clear how long the search contract with Ocean Infinity would be. Loke had previously said it would cover an 18-month period.
