KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — After a renewed deep-sea search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared in 2014, authorities announced that no confirmed wreckage has been found. The search, conducted by the marine robotics company Ocean Infinity, took place between March 2025 and January 2026 in a designated area of the southern Indian Ocean.
The Air Accident Investigation Bureau stated that the search covered approximately 7,571 square kilometers (2,923 square miles) of the seabed, but the effort did not yield any findings that would indicate the location of the missing aircraft. The search was undertaken under a “no-find, no-fee” contract, meaning Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million only if the wreckage is discovered.
Details of the Search Operations
Despite two phases of search operations — from March 25 to 28, 2025, and from December 31, 2025, to January 23, 2026 — the mission faced challenges due to adverse weather conditions. The investigation bureau emphasized that the search activities, while extensive, have not confirmed any new evidence related to the crash.
Flight MH370 vanished from radar shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people, primarily from China. Satellite data later indicated that the aircraft deviated from its intended flight path, heading south towards the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have ultimately crashed.
Previous extensive searches, including a private operation by Ocean Infinity in 2018, failed to locate the aircraft, although some debris was found washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands.
Calls for Continued Efforts
Families of those aboard the missing flight, represented by the group Voice 370, are urging the Malaysian government to consider extending the search contract with Ocean Infinity and explore similar agreements with other deep-sea exploration firms. Despite the current contract being valid until June, the group expressed concerns that the company’s vessel has been reassigned to other projects, complicating the search for remaining areas.
“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,”
the group stated, emphasizing their determination to seek answers. They added that if the ongoing search proves unsuccessful, they would advocate for similar contracts with other capable companies.
The families continue to express their resolve, asserting, “We will never give up!” as they strive for closure regarding the tragic disappearance of Flight MH370.
