The disappearance of MH370 is one of the world's biggest un solved aviation mysteries. On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 lost contact with air traffic control less than an hour after takeoff. Since then, the plane has completely disappeared.
Ocean Infinity will continue searching for MH370 on December 30, after the search phase earlier this year was halted due to seasonal weather issues.
This time, the company has 55 days to review a 15,000-km2 area in the southern Indian Ocean, which is assessed to be most likely to find the plane. The search was conducted on a "no find, no fee" basis.
Bloomberg said that in this search for MH370, although it is impossible to guarantee that the plane will be found, the government of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim can bring more transparency than before.
An official safety investigation report in 2018 concluded that MH370 may have been deliberately drifted and flown to the southern Indian Ocean. However, the report did not hold any culprits accountable. That has left the families of the 239 people on the plane to go through years of unanswered questions.
There are also some things Malaysia needs to do right in this search for MH370, starting with clear communication, according to Bloomberg. Relatives in the MH370 case deserve timely updates, regardless of whether the wreckage is found or not.
There are reasons to be cautious about being optimistic about this search. Ocean Infinity said it has improved its technology since 2018, using a much more complete ocean map making toolkit.
Tools include unmanned surface ships, combined with autonomous underwater vehicles, will operate close to the seabed, thereby helping to map the terrain down to a depth of nearly 6,000m and search for wider areas with sharper images.
These are encouraging signs and neither Malaysia nor Ocean Infinity should let any further delays happen. The loss of momentum will undermine confidence, fueling plot theories about delaying the investigation.
According to Bloomberg, Malaysia should commit to publishing real-time search, analysis and updated data. This will strengthen confidence and potentially contribute to global aviation safety.
Experts learn from each other's findings, and allowing investigators to access this data will help improve models of the dynamics of deep-sea accidents.
For relatives of MH370 victims, the disclosure may partly resolve their complaints. A well-managed search could contribute significantly to proving to the world that Malaysia can keep its promise.
