Malaysia approves a new search for MH370 wreckage in the Indian Ocean

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s government has given final approval for a Texas-based marine robotics company to renew the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which is believed to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean more than a decade ago.

Cabinet ministers agreed to terms and conditions for a “no-find, no-fee” contract with Texas-based Ocean Infinity to resume the seabed search operation at a new 15,000-square-kilometer (5,800-square-mile) site in the ocean, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in a statement Wednesday. Ocean Infinity will be paid $70 million only if wreckage is discovered.

The Boeing 777 plane vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, on a flight from Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing. Satellite data showed the plane turned from its flight path and headed south to the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed.

An expensive multinational search failed to turn up any clues to its location, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands. A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing.

The final approval for a new search came three months after Malaysia gave the nod in principle to plans for a fresh search.

Ocean Infinity CEO Oliver Punkett earlier this year reportedly said the company had improved its technology since 2018. He has said the firm is working with many experts to analyze data and had narrowed the search area to the most likely site.

Loke said his ministry will ink a contract with Ocean Infinity soon but didn’t provide details on the terms. The firm has reportedly sent a search vessel to the site and indicated that January-April is the best period for the search.

“The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the passengers of flight MH370,” he said in a statement.

 

The David Lynch estate auction doubled as a caffeinated wake

Most of the bidding action was online. But at a ritzy Beverly Hills hotel, hopeful bidders united by genuine affection for Lynch admired the tools of the late artist's trade. It was a mirthful wake.

An AI video ad is making a splash. Is it the future of advertising?

The over-the-top ad combines the energy of Grand Theft Auto with the drama of the NBA Finals — all created by AI. Is it a sign of things to come?

‘It’s such a dream’: Top high school performers step out on Broadway

With a billboard in Times Square and a night on Broadway, the year's top high school performers are ready for their big moment at the Jimmy Awards.

Tick risks vary by region. Here’s where diseases have spread and how to stay safe

Tick bites are are on the rise this and they can carry some nasty illnesses. Which are most common depends where you live. Here's what to know to protect yourself.

Ahead of this week’s NATO summit, Europe is uncertain about its old ally, the U.S.

This year's NATO summit opens Tuesday, attended by a disengaged United States, which seems bent on fighting its own battles, rather than helping European allies with the increased threat from Russia.

4 takeaways on the U.S. airstrikes on Iran — and what might come next

The Trump administration said its strikes were intended to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Now, Iran weighs a response against what it called an "outrageous" military operation.

More Front Page Coverage