Malaysia Resumes Hunt for MH370 on ‘No Find, No Fee’ Basis
More than a decade after the tragic disappearance of flight MH370, Malaysia’s government has agreed to renew the search efforts. This comes following a “no find, no fee” proposal from a U.S. based company, offering to take up the mantle of the search mission. This renewed attempt to uncover the truth behind one of aviation’s greatest mysteries is stirring both hope and painful memories among the relatives of those lost.
The Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished on 8 March 2014 with 239 people on board while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. While believed to have ended its journey in the southern Indian Ocean, the plane’s final resting place remains unknown, with its disappearance sparking one of the most expensive and complex search efforts in aviation history.
‘No Find, No Fee’ Proposal Accepted
The new search initiative comes in the wake of a proposal from a U.S. exploration firm, which has offered to take on the search mission on a “no find, no fee” basis. This means that the company will only receive payment if they successfully locate the wreckage of the missing plane. The Malaysian government, grappling with the unresolved mystery and its implications, has accepted the proposal, providing a fresh lease of life to the search efforts that were officially called off in 2018. 
The identity of the company and detailed terms of the agreement have not been made public as the government continues to finalize the deal. However, it is expected that the search will commence in the coming months, weather permitting.
The Decade-Long Search for MH370
Flight MH370 disappeared from radar screens less than an hour after takeoff, and subsequent analyses of its flight data suggested that the plane had made a series of unexpected turns before flying south over the Indian Ocean. The search operation, coordinated by Australia, initially focused on a 120,000 square kilometer area in the southern Indian Ocean, but was eventually called off in January 2018 after failing to locate the plane.
Later in 2018, the Malaysian government released a 495-page report detailing the findings of their investigation into the disappearance of flight MH370. The report, however, did not provide a conclusive explanation for the plane’s disappearance, instead stating that the cause could not be determined until the wreckage was found.
In the years since the disappearance, several pieces of debris believed to be from the plane have washed ashore on islands in the Indian Ocean and the eastern coast of Africa. However, these findings have yet to lead investigators to the main wreckage site and black boxes, which hold key data that could explain what happened to MH370.
Relatives of MH370 Victims Hope for Answers
The decision to resume the search has been met with cautious optimism by relatives of the victims. Many have been campaigning for years for the Malaysian government to continue the search and have expressed hope that this new mission may finally bring some answers.
While the prospect of finding the plane after so many years may seem slim, the “no find, no fee” agreement provides a fresh incentive for the search team. The world watches on with bated breath as the renewed search efforts for MH370 begin, hoping for closure on one of the most baffling mysteries in aviation history.
