A fresh quest to locate the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 airplane has commenced, over a decade after its enigmatic disappearance. The Boeing 777 vanished on March 8, 2014, during its journey from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing with 249 passengers on board, primarily Chinese nationals, alongside individuals from Malaysia, Canada, France, and other countries. Despite extensive efforts, including satellite data analysis pointing to a crash in the southern Indian Ocean and the discovery of some small debris pieces on African coastlines and Indian Ocean islands, previous large-scale searches yielded no significant breakthroughs. The reasons behind the plane’s downfall remain a mystery.
Now, a fresh exploration is in progress, reigniting hopes of unraveling the long-standing enigma. Here is an overview of the most recent search for the aircraft that seemingly vanished mysteriously:
Who is leading the search?
The Malaysian Transport Ministry recently announced that Texas-based marine robotics company Ocean Infinity would resume the deep-sea search for the missing plane on December 30. While the search had initially begun in March, adverse weather conditions led to a temporary halt in operations. Ocean Infinity is executing the search under a “no find, no fee” agreement with the Malaysian government, potentially earning $70 million upon locating substantial wreckage.
Although it remains uncertain whether Ocean Infinity possesses new information about the plane’s whereabouts, the company’s CEO, Oliver Plunkett, mentioned technological enhancements following a previous unsuccessful search in 2018. Plunkett emphasized collaboration with experts to analyze data, narrowing down the search area to the most probable site. The Malaysian Transport Ministry has confirmed that the renewed search will focus on a specific area assessed to have the highest probability of finding the aircraft, covering a vast 15,000-square-kilometer region of the southern Indian Ocean.
How long will the latest deep-sea search last?
Scheduled to commence intermittently on Tuesday, the operation is set to span 55 days. As per Scientific American, Ocean Infinity is deploying a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles for the search, capable of mapping terrain up to a depth of around 6,000 meters.
Key details from the past:
Following the plane’s last transmission, its transponder was deactivated, complicating tracking efforts. Military radar indicated a deviation from the flight path, with the aircraft eventually losing all contact after heading southward.
Previous search endeavors:
Several attempts have been made to locate the missing aircraft, with a joint underwater search by Malaysia, Australia, and China in the southern Indian Ocean yielding no significant results after two years and an expenditure of approximately $183 million CAD. Although some suspected aircraft debris has been recovered, only three wing fragments have been positively identified from MH370.
Findings and recommendations:
A 2018 report suggested intentional manipulation of the Boeing 777’s controls but failed to pinpoint the responsible party. Malaysian investigators cleared the passengers and crew of suspicion, while also identifying operational errors in air traffic control centers.
Unresolved mysteries and theories:
Various theories, including hijacking and power failures, have circulated since the incident, with no distress call, ransom demands, adverse weather, or technical malfunctions reported. The lack of definitive conclusions underscores the critical need to locate the wreckage for further insights.