SEPANG, April 3 — The Malaysian government has signed an agreement with Ocean Infinity to resume the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the deal was inked last week.
However, he said the search operation is currently halted, citing weather conditions, and is expected to restart year-end.
“I think right now it’s not the season (due to the weather). I think they have stopped the operation for the time being and will resume the search at the end of this year,” he told a press conference after welcoming the arrival of British Airways’ first flight to Malaysia in five years at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport here.
Loke said this in response to an announcement by the Association for Families of the Passengers and Crew that the search for MH370, which disappeared in March 2014, had been delayed until next summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
The association cited adverse weather conditions as well as Ocean Infinity’s prior commitment as the cause behind the postponement.
It was earlier reported that the government had approved the terms and conditions of the service agreement with Ocean Infinity on a “no find, no fee” basis.
This means the Malaysian government will only be required to pay Ocean Infinity if the wreckage is discovered, with a success fee amounting to US$70 million (RM311.95 million).
The marine robotics company has participated in the search for the missing aircraft since January 2018, covering more than 112,000sqkm of the southern Indian Ocean seabed, before ending the mission on May 29, 2018.
Flight MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, after departing Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing, China, with 239 passengers and crew onboard.
— Bernama
