Singapore-based Channel News Asia reported today that family members of the missing people on board the aircraft were told in an email that a sea vessel under Ocean Infinity, whose headquarters is in Houston, had left for the search area in the Indian Ocean on Jan 2.
Citing an email sent by Malaysia Airlines’ family support centre to the passengers’ next-of-kin today, the report said they were informed that the “government of Malaysia has engaged Ocean Infinity to undertake further search operation (sic) for MH370 on a ‘no cure, no fee’ basis”.
The “no cure, no fee” agreement, often used in salvage contracts, would mean that the company would not be paid if it cannot find any significant remains of the aircraft.
The Boeing 777-200ER had disappeared en route to Beijing from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport with 227 passengers and 12 crew on board on March 8, 2014.
Australia, China and Malaysia, which jointly coordinated and funded the search operation led by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), had announced in January last year that they had called off the A$200 million (RM660 million) search for MH370, despite protests from the families.
It was reported today that the search vessel named Seabed Constructor had left Durban port in South Africa as part of Ocean Infinity’s plan to look for debris in the southern Indian Ocean.
According to Reuters shipping data, the ship, equipped with unmanned submarines that are able to ply deep into the ocean, is expected to reach Perth in Western Australia on Feb 7.
Malaysia to negotiate with Ocean Infinity on resuming MH370 search