A new deep-sea search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has failed.
It was 12 years ago today that a Boeing 777 disappeared from radar shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport en route to Beijing.
In a statement, Malaysia’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau said a 28-day search covering more than 2,900 square miles (7,500 square km) had yielded no new findings.
A company called Ocean Infinity was given permission to explore the Indian Ocean on a “no find, no fee” basis.
According to the agreement, only $70m (£52m) will be paid if the wreckage is found.
An Australian aviation officer scans the waters of the southern Indian Ocean during the search for missing MH370 in 2014. Image: AP
Malaysian authorities say they are “committed to keeping families informed and will continue to provide appropriate updates”.
Voice370 – a group representing the families of those on board – has urged the government to extend its contract with Ocean Infinity.
The search, which took place in two phases, was periodically hampered by poor weather and sea conditions. It ended on January 23.
However, campaigners fear that the third phase will not begin before June, when the current deal ends, as the winter months in the southern hemisphere approach.
Voice370 said: “A simple addendum that extends the term of the contract without changing the key terms of the contract allows the search to proceed without delay.”
The group added that other exploration firms should be allowed to search on this “no find, no fee” basis.
MH370 was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew when it disappeared, making it one of the world’s most enduring aviation mysteries.
In 2018, a report by Malaysian investigators did not come to any conclusions about what happened, but did not rule out the possibility that the plane was taken on purpose.
