Ocean Infinity Relaunches Search for Long-Lost Flight MH370

Deep ocean search company Ocean Infinity has rebooted the hunt for Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 that disappeared over the Indian Ocean 11 years ago. 

In the early hours of March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur, headed north for Beijing. The plane then reversed course and made for the Indian Ocean, and at about 0214, it passed out of radar range as it headed west over the Strait of Malacca. MH370 never arrived at its destination, and all passengers and crew were presumed lost at sea. Pieces of the aircraft floated ashore in Tanzania, Reunion and South Africa, confirming that it had crashed, but a three-year seabed search failed to turn up any sign of the wreckage on the bottom.

Ocean Infinity has agreed to undertake a new search on unusual terms: a reported "no-find, no-fee" arrangement. If it finds the wreck site, it will receive $70 million; the details of the contract are still being finalized, even though deployment and operations have already begun, Malaysian transport minister Anthony Loke told reporters on Tuesday. 

It is a high-profile test for Ocean Infinity's new low-crew survey techniques. The company has deployed the Armada 7806, a Vard-built compact survey ship designed to perform ROV and AUV search operations with less overhead and lower fuel consumption than a conventional platform. The 78-meter hulls have two moonpools for underwater vehicle deployment, and can operate ROV missions with as little as 16 crewmembers on board. 

AIS data provided by Pole Star suggests that the Armada 7806 finished her transit and arrived on station in the Indian Ocean on Monday. As of Tuesday, she was holding position and broadcasting her status as restricted in ability to maneuver, indicating AUV or ROV survey operations.