A U.S. exploration firm on Wednesday was mandated by the Malaysian government to resume search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 aircraft, possibly the last attempt to solve one of the biggest mysteries in aviation history.
At a press conference following a signing ceremony between Malaysia's Ministry of Transport and U.S. firm Ocean Infinity, Malaysia's Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the search operation will be at an area of 25,000 square km within the priority search area in Southern Indian Ocean based on a "no cure, no fee" basis within a 90-day timeframe.
According to Liow, currently a vessel named Seabed Constructor is on her way to the search area, taking advantage of favorable weather to move toward to the search zone. It is expected that the ship will arrive at the search zone by mid-January.
The primary mission by Ocean Infinity is to identify the location of the wreckage and/or both of the flight recorders, namely the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder, said Liow.
Per the agreement reached between the two parties, the payment to Ocean Infinity will be subject to the area where the wreckage is located. A total of 20 million U.S. dollars will be paid if the plane was found within the first 5,000 square km scoured. The payment stands at 30 million U.S. dollars for the subsequent 10,000 and 50 million U.S. dollars for another 10,000 square km.
In addition, the Malaysian government agrees to pay 70 million U.S. dollars if the plane was found beyond the 25,000 square km area recommended by investigators from Australia.
MH370, carrying 239 on board, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014.
