Malaysia Airlines MH370 Search Relaunched After Nearly 12 Years in Indian Ocean Deep-Sea Mission
A long-awaited renewed search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 which vanished without trace on 8 March 2014 with 239 people on board has officially restarted in the southern Indian Ocean, nearly twelve years after one of aviation history’s deepest mysteries began.
AP News
Background: The Disappearance and Historical Search Efforts
Flight MH370 disappeared from radar less than an hour after departing Kuala Lumpur for Beijing in March 2014. The Boeing 777’s communication systems were lost, and military radar data later showed the aircraft deviating well off its planned route before apparently continuing for several hours over the Indian Ocean. Despite being one of the most extensive search efforts in aviation history covering roughly 120,000 sq km of seabed investigators found only scattered debris washed ashore on Indian Ocean islands and the east African coast.
AP News
Previous multinational search operations ended without locating the main wreckage, leaving families of the victims and the global aviation community with unanswered questions about the plane’s final moments and location.
The Guardian
Renewed Mission: Focused Search With Advanced Underwater Technology
The Malaysian Transport Ministry has authorised a fresh deep-sea search, now underway as of 30 - 31 December 2025, conducted by Ocean Infinity, a marine robotics and seabed survey company.
Ministry of Transport Malaysia
Under the terms agreed with the Malaysian government, Ocean Infinity is operating on a “no find, no fee” basis meaning the company will only be paid if wreckage is located within the defined search area. Should a successful discovery occur, the fee could reach approximately USD 70 million.
The Star
The mission is planned as an intermittent 55-day operation, concentrating on a 15,000 sq km area of seabed thought most likely to contain debris from MH370, based on refined satellite analysis, drift modelling, and expert assessment of prior data.
Malay Mail
Technology and Strategy
Ocean Infinity’s search deploys autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with high-resolution sonar, magnetometers, and imaging systems capable of mapping the ocean floor at depths up to nearly 6,000 metres. These deep-sea drones can operate independently for extended periods, scanning seabed terrain and identifying “points of interest” that may indicate aircraft wreckage. If promising anomalies are detected, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) can be deployed to gather detailed visual and physical inspections.
Malay Mail
Compared with previous efforts, the current operation benefits from enhanced technology, more refined search area targeting and an improved understanding of how debris from the flight may have drifted and settled on the ocean floor.
Malay Mail
International Coordination and Human Impact
The renewed search underscores both technical persistence and human resolve. The Malaysian government has repeatedly emphasised its commitment to helping grieving families achieve closure through continued efforts to locate the aircraft’s wreckage. Accredited representatives from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) have also been involved to provide technical support.
Ministry of Transport Malaysia
Victims’ families from around the world including China, Australia, Europe, and North America have expressed cautious hope that the latest search might finally uncover definitive evidence. Some remain wary of reopening painful chapters without new results, but many see the resumption as a meaningful step toward resolving a case that has frustrated families and investigators alike for over a decade.
Malay Mail
Challenges and Remaining Questions
Even with improved technology and a narrowed search focus, the mission faces significant challenges: the Indian Ocean’s vast size, complex seabed topography, strong currents and the remote nature of the deep sea environment all complicate detection and recovery efforts. Moreover, locating debris is only the first step; recovering key elements such as the aircraft’s black boxes which could contain flight data and cockpit voice recordings would require specialised operations and further international coordination.
The Star
Despite these hurdles, the restart of the MH370 search in late 2025 represents the most determined attempt yet to answer lingering questions about what happened to the aircraft and the 239 people who were aboard. As findings emerge over the planned search period, aviation authorities, families, and international observers will be watching closely for any breakthroughs that could finally bring clarity to one of aviation’s greatest mysteries.
By Aaron Joyce, Newswire, L.T.T Media; Newsdesk; 31 December 2025