Malaysia Extends Ocean Infinity Contract for Year-Long MH370 Search

The Malaysian government has officially extended its contract with deep-sea exploration company Ocean Infinity for an additional year to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The Boeing 777 aircraft vanished in March 2014 while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members. The disappearance remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history, with previous search operations in the southern Indian Ocean yielding no results. Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that the decision reflects the government’s ongoing and steadfast commitment to providing closure for the families of those on board. Ocean Infinity, which previously led a search for MH370 until 2018, signed a new agreement last year to scour a 15,000-square-kilometre area of the seabed. Under the ‘no find, no fee’ arrangement, the company will only receive payment of US$70 million if it successfully locates the wreckage. Loke explained that the extension was necessary to allow Ocean Infinity to complete scanning the remaining 7,428 square kilometres of the designated search area. The additional time also accommodates a new commercial commitment requiring the company to temporarily relocate its primary search assets between November 2026 and April 2027.