More than a decade after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished, new developments around renewed search efforts have added another chapter to the long-running mystery.
The Boeing 777 went missing after departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport for Beijing, carrying 239 people who have never been found.
Investigators previously said the aircraft dropped off radar after making an abrupt turn through an unusual coverage gap near the Andaman Sea, a detail that has continued to fuel speculation.
Over the years, theories have ranged widely—from extraordinary claims to suggestions the plane was deliberately flown until it ran out of fuel—without any single explanation gaining broad agreement.
The lack of conclusive answers, coupled with the inability to locate the aircraft, has prolonged the anguish for relatives of those on board.
Last year, Malaysian authorities agreed to a limited, stop-start search window of 55 days. The hunt involved Texas-based robotics company Ocean Infinity, which deployed a search vessel along with two underwater drones under a “no-find, no-fee” arrangement.
That deal meant the company would only receive the reported $70 million payment if it successfully located the wreckage.
In the end, the operation did not produce a breakthrough.
Ocean Infinity spent 28 days scanning the Indian Ocean seabed, and Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau later stated that the 2,900-square-mile search area provided no new leads.
Even so, Malaysian officials said they still ‘remain committed to keeping the families informed and will continue to provide updates as appropriate’.
In response, a campaign group supporting relatives of the passengers and crew has called for the work to be extended.
Voice370 said, per Sky News: “A simple addendum extending the contract period without altering the core terms of the agreement would allow the search to continue without delay.”
The group is concerned the efforts could stall until Ocean Infinity is able to mobilise again, potentially as late as June.
They also argued that other specialist exploration companies should be offered the chance to conduct searches under the same “no-find, no-fee” terms.
Voice370 added that Ocean Infinity may be unable to restart until late spring because winter conditions can make operations in the region difficult.
Voice370 said: “The government pays nothing unless the aircraft is found. Any request by Ocean Infinity to extend the search contract should therefore be granted without hesitation.
“If the present search is unsuccessful, we would also urge Malaysia to kindly consider extending similar no find, no fee opportunities to other capable deep sea exploration companies.”