MALAYSIA is prepared to consider a new search operation for Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) MH370 passenger aircraft whose disappearance remains unsolved after it went missing from radar screens on March 8, 2014.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that his ministry is inviting seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity to give a briefing on its latest proposal to look for the plane based on a “no find-no fee” basis.
Stressing that there is “a need to make things right”, he said the tragedy was a wakeup call for the aviation sector at home and abroad.
“Meaningful changes have been made to prevent a repeat of this tragedy. But I am also acutely aware that the task remains incomplete,” he said.
“The Malaysia government’s position is consistent. We will commission a further search operation when new information and credible evidence is asserted.”
He said the ministry is now waiting for the company to give a suitable date and he will meet them whenever they come to Malaysia for the purpose.
“The Malaysian government is steadfast in our resolve to locate MH370. I hope the families and friends of the victims will remain strong.
“You have our deepest sympathies and will always be in our thoughts and prayers. More importantly, we will stand by you,” he said while speaking at a commemoration ceremony to mark ten years since MH370 vanished at Subang Jaya in Selangor today.
“We all want to provide a closure for the families.”
Commenting further, Loke promised to make every effort to get cabinet’s approval to sign a new contract with Ocean Infinity to start the search for the plane as soon as possible.
He added that new developments in research and new technology that have been introduced will hopefully be used in the new search.
The plane carrying 239 passengers and crew members from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared after losing contact with the control tower on March 8, 2014, less than an hour after take-off.
There were 227 passengers and 12 crew members in the Boeing 777 aircraft when it crossed into Vietnamese airspace.
The radar symbol representing its transponder dropped from the screens of the Malaysian air traffic control, and 37 seconds later, the entire aircraft disappeared from secondary radar.
An international search effort by 34 ships and 28 aircraft from seven different countries focused on areas between the South China Sea, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
In 2017, Australia, China, and Malaysia ended a fruitless RM614.32 million search across a 120,000 sq km area in the Indian Ocean. – The Vibes, March 3, 2024
