A hi-tech ship has set off from the coast of South Africa towards the Indian Ocean, to resume the hunt for fragments of the missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, AFP reported on Wednesday. MH370 disappeared with 239 people on board on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. There has been no sign of the plane since.
Malaysia’s Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi told AFP on Wednesday that negotiations with exploration firm Ocean Infinity to restart the search for MH370 on a “no find, no fee” basis were in the final stages. “They [Ocean Infinity] know we are very serious in taking their offer,” he said.
An unidentified spokesperson for the firm told AFP that “the company are awaiting final contract award before the search recommences”. Ocean Infinity was one of the three companies which had bid to resume the search.
The firm’s research vessel Seabed Constructor has set off from the South African coast, equipped with several autonomous submarines which can be launched from the boat to scour for fragments of the plane on the seabed.
In January, Malaysia, China and Australia had jointly called off their operation to find the flight. But Australia will provide technical assistance to the Malaysian government and the seabed exploration company.
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