Ten years after the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines MH370 flight, the government on Sunday said it has plans to renew the search after a US technology firm proposed a fresh hunt in the southern Indian Ocean, where the plane is believed to have crashed.
While speaking at a remembrance event to mark the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of the flight, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the government is keen to locate MH370.
Texas-based Ocean Infinity has proposed another no find, no fee basis to scor the seabeds as an expansion from where it first searched in 2018.
He said he invited the company to meet and evaluate the new scientific evidence.
"If it is credible, will seek Cabinet's approval to sign a new contract with Ocean Infinity," he added.
The Boeing 777 plane carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing vanished from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014.
Since then all the searches by the government failed to unravel the mystery behind its disappearance.
Ocean Infinity-led searches before had found no clues, however, its proposed new search plan was delayed last year.
The government is yet to finalise the deal as the fee negotiation is not yet over. He said financial cost is not an issue and that he doesn't foresee any hindrances for the search to proceed if all goes well.
The announcement of the renewed search has sparked hope in at least some family members. "We have been on a roller coaster for the last 10 years... If it is not found, I hope that it will continue with another search," Jacquita Gomes, whose flight attendant husband was on the plane, was quoted by the Associated Press.
She also added that it will pave for a full closure.
Family members of passengers from Malaysia, Australia, China and India paid tribute to their loved ones during the event, lighting a candle on stage to remember them.
