11 years on, there remain more questions than answers about the disappearance of MH370
This article has been updated.
Latest update, March 11: Ocean Infinity is reported to have done some checking in the area it was searching before it went to Henderson, Australia, and its Armada 78 06 vessel is now reported to have stopped southwest of the search area suggested by Jean-Luc Marchand and Patrick Blelly.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing 11 years ago today (Saturday). There remain more questions than answers about the disappearance of the plane, which is still the world’s greatest aviation mystery.
The aircraft had 239 passengers and crew on board and was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it went missing.
While some debris has been found that the authorities say is from the missing plane, neither MH370 nor its voice and data recorders have been located.
The US-based exploration company Ocean Infinity began a new search in the southern Indian Ocean about two weeks ago, then its Armada 78 06 vessel docked at the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson, south of Perth, where it refuelled and took on provisions.
The vessel left Henderson on Thursday, but it is not clear whether it will now resume the search. Its destination was yesterday being given as Cape Town, South Africa, but observers have commented that it may stop off at the previous search area en route.
The Malaysian government hasn’t yet signed a contract with Ocean Infinity, but the transport ministry said in a statement today that it had accepted the company’s proposal. The transport minister, Anthony Loke, had already announced in December last year that the Cabinet had agreed in principle to the search.
“Following a Cabinet decision on 13 December 2024, the Government of Malaysia has accepted a proposal from Ocean Infinity (United Kingdom) to recommence search operations in a new area of approximately 15,000 square kilometres in the southern Indian Ocean, under the "no find, no fee" principle,” the ministry said today.
“It remains our solemn duty to pursue every credible lead in the hope of uncovering the final resting place of MH370, and, in doing so, providing the families with the answers they so rightly deserve.”
The ministry added: “Recognising the considerable public interest in this renewed search, we are working diligently towards finalising the new search agreement in accordance to the government of Malaysia's procedures.”
“As part of the progress for the renewed search, the Ministry of Transport Malaysia (MOT) would like to report that the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) have each appointed an accredited representative to provide technical assistance for this mission. The cooperation of all parties is invaluable in this ongoing effort, which remains one of the most complex and challenging search operations in aviation history.”
Before Armada 78 06 went to Henderson, Ocean Infinity had completed an initial search of an area suggested by independent investigators Victor Iannello and Bobby Ulich that had already been partly searched, but which Iannello and Ulich said needed scouring again, with a widened scope. This area, which is about 2,000 km west of Perth, Australia, is centred on 34.2°S 93.8°E.
This is the first year since the disappearance of the plane on March 8, 2014, that the next of kin have not held an anniversary event. In 2021, because of Covid-19, the next of kin gathered via Zoom to mark the anniversary of the plane’s disappearance. There were also online gatherings in 2022 and 2023.
At last year’s 10th anniversary remembrance event in Kuala Lumpur, one of the next of kin, V.P.R. Nathan, whose wife, Anne Daisy, was on board MH370, handed over Ocean Infinity’s new ‘no find, no fee’ search proposal to Anthony Loke.
V.P.R. Nathan (left) presents Ocean Infinity’s new search proposal to Anthony Loke.
It is now nearly three months since the Malaysian Cabinet agreed in principle to accept Ocean Infinity’s proposal to conduct search operations in the southern Indian Ocean.
On December 20 last year Loke announced that, on December 13, the Cabinet had agreed in principle to accept Ocean Infinity’s proposal “to proceed with seabed search operations to locate the wreckage of flight MH370 in a new area estimated at 15,000 square kilometres in the southern Indian Ocean”.
The CEO of Ocean Infinity, Oliver Plunkett, said after the announcement: “After a long wait, transport minister Anthony Loke’s statement is great news.
“We look forward to sharing further updates in the new year once we’ve finalised the details and the team gets ready to go.”
The company has not issued a further statement since then.
On February 25, Loke welcomed Ocean Infinity’s proactive deployment in the southern Indian Ocean. He referred to the deployment as “positive news” for the next of kin, who had been awaiting the resumption of the search.
Loke said: “Right now we are still finalising our contract. We just got the clearance from the AG’s [attorney general’s] chambers and there are some changes that need to be made in terms and conditions … so we are still finalising the details for the contract to be signed.”
He added: “Since Ocean Infinity has already started to mobilise their ships, of course we welcome it because we have given principal approval for the search to resume and just need to finalise the contract right now to be signed.”
Ocean Infinity is seeking a US$70 million fee if the wreckage of MH370 is found. This is similar to the fee proposed for the search it conducted in 2018.
In a blog post published yesterday (Friday), K.S. Narendran, whose wife, Chandrika, was on board MH370 when it disappeared, expressed his frustration about the Malaysian government making a solemn commitment and then dragging its feet when the time came for it to follow through with action.
“What we have is a sad spectacle, somewhere between a tease and a farce: the government of Malaysia has, in the last couple of months since announcing a decision to resume the search for MH370, shown no urgency and offered no time frame to wrap up a contract with Ocean Infinity ...,” Narendran writes.
“It is hard to imagine what the sticking points are, the serious ones at least, that might point to irreconcilable differences between the contracting parties.
“Delays raise the demons of doubt about the sincerity of the government, as has happened on numerous occasions in the past years.”
Narendran notes that contracting delays could prove costly for Ocean Infinity. “For the next of kin, a narrowing of the search window this season will certainly feel like a cruel betrayal,” he writes.
He adds: “There is no suggestion that the contract risks having to part with the crown jewels, and in which case, the legal vetting that has been cited to explain the delay seems a case of one or more of these: excessive caution, unreasonable conditionalities, subterranean power play, people working at cross purposes, or insidious attempts to torpedo the deal.”
Anne Daisy’s daughter, Grace Subathirai Nathan, wrote on her Facebook page yesterday about the phone call she received from her father on March 8, 2014, when she was in the middle of her Bar finals in the UK. He told her that something had happened to MH370. She rushed to Heathrow to catch the next flight to Kuala Lumpur.
“Since that harrowing phone call, I’ve graduated law school, built a career, married, and had two children,” Grace writes.
“Each milestone has only deepened my longing for you. Every time I look at my children, I wish they could meet you, and you them.
“This year, I miss my you more intensely. Perhaps it’s because, for the first time in 11 years, I’m not physically and emotionally spent from organizing the annual remembrance event. I miss you, Maa, every single day.”
Grace had told Changing Times on February 26: “After so many years of pushing for the search to resume it’s truly a relief that it has finally resumed because at least now we can have some hope again.
“Even then it’s so hard to hope freely because our hope has been shattered so many times over the last 11 years.”
The MH370 family support group Voice370 said today: “We family members have endured the loss of our loved ones on MH370 since 2014 and are still waiting for a credible explanation for the loss of this aircraft and her passengers in the hope that it will help bring closure to the long-suffering families. We pray this wait comes to an end soon.”
The group said that, despite the “extensive and very earnest searches” initially by the Australian, Chinese, and Malaysia governments, “then by the magnanimous private entity Ocean Infinity”, no trace of MH370 had been found, except for the floating debris that had been recovered over the years from the shores of the western Indian Ocean.
“One year ago, at our 10th remembrance event, our hopes of solving this enigmatic mystery were buoyed by Ocean Infinity's new offer to conduct another ‘no find, no fee' search. It made our 10th remembrance event very meaningful, bringing renewed hopes for a closure,” the next of kin added.
The group thanked Anthony Loke and expressed its appreciation to the Malaysian prime minister and his Cabinet for consenting to the new search.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Ocean Infinity for their proactive decision to start mobilising to the proposed search area,” the next of kin added.
“We respectfully urge both the government and OI to consider a pragmatic approach in finalising the contract,” they said.
In its statement today, the Malaysian Ministry of Transport spoke of the grief and uncertainty endured by the next of kin.
“Today marks the 11th anniversary of the tragic disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. On this solemn occasion, the Government of Malaysia reaffirms its commitment to resume the search for MH370. For the families of the passengers and crew, time has not diminished the profound grief and uncertainty they continue to endure,” the ministry said.
“On this day of remembrance, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of the passengers and crew of MH370. The effort to seek answers and provide closure for them will continue.”
The Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) emailed the next of kin to express its “heartfelt remembrance and solidarity”.
The email from the ‘MAS Family Support Centre’ stated: “We recognise the profound pain of uncertainty that you have endured, and we stand with you in solidarity. Your resilience has been a source of inspiration, and your relentless pursuit of truth and closure remains at the heart of all efforts concerning MH370.”
The MAG said it had little information to share about the new search, but added that it was committed to keeping the next of kin informed. “We remain hopeful that this mission will lead to the long-awaited discovery of the aircraft,” the group wrote.
Chinese next of kin seek information
Today (Saturday) the Chinese next of kin will go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing, the Malaysian embassy, and the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court.
Jiang Hui, from Beijing, whose mother, Jiang Cuiyun, was a passenger on MH370 when it went missing, explained: “We will go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get more information. So far, we have not received any confirmation of the new search [by Ocean Infinity].
“We will go to the embassy to send a letter to the prime minister of Malaysia. We will go to the court to urge a quick judgment.”
In their letter to Anwar, the Chinese next of kin say: “Eleven years have passed since the disappearance of MH370, yet our loved ones and the aircraft remain missing, the truth is still obscured, and the hidden risks to international aviation safety have yet to be addressed.
“Despite enduring ongoing suffering, we will never abandon our search for our families and the truth. Finding the aircraft is the foundation for resolving all issues.”
The next of kin add that they hope the new search yields results and brings closure soon.
“However, we have not received any updates or communication about the search’s progress or plans,” they write.
“We respectfully demand that Malaysia Airlines and relevant authorities uphold their international obligations to ensure the families’ right to priority information, which is critical for our emotional well-being.”
The Chinese next of kin add that, if the new search yields no results, they urge Malaysia to transform the current ‘no find, no fee’ approach into “a public, indefinite, unrestricted, and open-ended rewarded search”.
This, they say, “would mobilise global efforts, enabling families, NGOs, or other capable organisations to contribute to the search independently”.
In their letter to Anwar the Chinese next of kin also demand that Malaysia Airlines rectifies what they describe as the airline’s “inhumane practices”. This, the next of kin say, includes halting interim compensation payments, withholding information, and denying psychological support.
“We further urge expedited disbursement of the US$160,000 compensation ordered by the Kuala Lumpur High Court to all unresolved families,” they write.
They add: “Rooted in the long-standing friendship between China and Malaysia, we seek efficient communication channels with Malaysia Airlines or your government.
“Swift resolution of all outstanding issues would alleviate the lingering trauma and coldness caused by [the disappearance of] MH370, fostering deeper trust and friendship between our nations.”
Jiang is one of about 40 Chinese next of kin who are suing five defendants including Malaysian Airline System (MAS) and Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB), which began operations as Malaysia’s national carrier on September 1, 2015, after MAS was dissolved from the Malaysian stock exchange in 2014 and ceased operations on August 31, 2015.
The other defendants are the aircraft manufacturer Boeing, its engine provider Rolls-Royce, and the German insurer Allianz Insurance.
The lawsuits include claims for compensation ranging from 3 million to 10 million renminbi (RMB). The next of kin have also asked the court to order each defendant to pay US$10 million in costs that would be used to help fund future searches for MH370.
The claimants have rejected individual compensation offers of US$380,000 dollars (US$160,000 from the Malaysian government and US$220,000 from Malaysia Airlines). The offers were rejected, Jiang says, because they did not stipulate the Malaysian government’s search obligations.
Jiang Hui (left) with Anthony Loke at the 2019 remembrance event in Kuala Lumpur.
Search ‘hotspots’
Ocean Infinity has said that it would be focusing in its new search on an area between latitudes 33°S and 36°S, wider from the 7th Arc than was previously searched.
In its search in 2018, the company used a leased Norwegian vessel, Seabed Constructor, and its own Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), capable of operating in depths up to 6,000 metres.
It now has new robotic vessels that can be operated completely remotely, with no crew on board.
The three AUVs used so far in the new search are able to spend up to four days submerged.
In addition to the area identified by Iannello and Ulich, there are several other search ‘hotspots’.
American amateur investigator Blaine Gibson, who has found, retrieved, and/or handed in 22 pieces of debris, and oceanographer Charitha Pattiaratchi from the University of Western Australia say Broken Ridge, at 32.5°S 96.5°E, is the most important ‘hotspot’. Gibson and Pattiaratchi argue that any new search should not be focused too narrowly along the 7th Arc and should include the area from 28.3°S to 33.2°S.
A location suggested by Richard Godfrey is centred on 29.128°S 99.934°E. Less than half of the area Godfrey suggests has been previously scoured. Godfrey has conducted analyses using the Global Detection and Tracking of Any Aircraft Anywhere (GDTAAA) software based on Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) data. He has monitored radio signals sent out by radio amateurs around the world. Some investigators find his analysis compelling, but others are more sceptical.
An area suggested by Jean-Luc Marchand from Belgium and retired Air France pilot Patrick Blelly that has not previously been searched is around a 35.7°S 93°E centrepoint.
Patrick Blelly is providing tracking information for Armada 78 06 on the MH370-CAPTION website. He explains that the potential search area as presented in March 2024 during the 10th anniversary remembrance event in Kuala Lumpur is shown by the white lines and this includes the zone centred on 35.7°S 93°E.
The map pictured below, which shows the track of Armada 78 06, is interactive on the MH370-CAPTION website and the vessel’s position is updated at 30 minutes past the hour UTC (90 minutes behind real time).
Blelly explains that the orange line on the map illustrates the zone scanned during Phase 2 marine surveys conducted by the governments of Australia, Malaysia, and China between September 2014 and January 2017 and the red line illustrates Ocean Infinity’s search in 2018.
In 2018, Ocean Infinity spent more than three months searching for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. The company scoured, and collected data from, more than 112,000 square kilometres of ocean floor, which is far in excess of the initial 25,000-square-kilometre target and almost the same area as was examined in the previous search over a period of two and a half years.
The previous Australian-led underwater search was suspended on January 17, 2017, after an area spanning 120,000 square kilometres was scoured.
In his latest blog post, K.S. Narendran says: “If the [new] search is successful and we know where the flight ended, it will be the culmination of a long campaign.
“Next of kin will face a sober moment of silent acceptance and the years of living in a state of ‘not knowing’ will yield to the harsh truth of a plane with 239 souls on board lost for ever, an irrefutable end.
“New questions may arise, but something within will have settled and that is a good thing.”
This article is also available on my Changing Times website.
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