KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 – The government will consider resuming search operations for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 if credible new evidence emerges, said Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said the government’s commitment to finding MH370 remains undiminished.
“The government is currently in negotiations with the UK-based company Ocean Infinity, which proposed in June to resume undersea search operations for the aircraft. This would target a new 15,000-square-kilometre area in the southern Indian Ocean under a ‘no find, no fee’ arrangement.
“Under the ‘no find, no fee’ principle, the Malaysian government will not be required to pay the company if no aircraft wreckage is found,” he said when replying to a question from Chong Zhemin (PH-Kampar) in the Dewan Rakyat Tuesday.
Loke said the location of the newly proposed search area by Ocean Infinity is based on recent data analysis and information provided by experts and researchers consulted by the company.
“Ocean Infinity’s search operation proposal is credible and can be considered by the Malaysian government as the state of registry of MH370,” he said.
On the previous agreement between Malaysia and Ocean Infinity, with an offer of up to US$70 million in 2018, Loke said the company’s proposed costs remain the same.
“The terms and costs requested are in the same draft agreement currently being negotiated between the government and Ocean Infinity. Should it be finalised, Cabinet approval will be required, and I will make a public announcement,” he said.
Meanwhile, Loke said the government has completed all compensation payments to the next of kin of the affected passengers.
“However, there is a small number of families who have been unwilling to accept the compensation for personal reasons,” he added.
Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
