Voice370, which represents relatives of 239 passengers and crew, says extension of contract to locate aircraft should be granted without hesitation
PETALING JAYA: Families of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 passengers have called for the continuation of the deep-sea search for the missing aircraft, even as weeks of operations by Ocean Infinity in the southern Indian Ocean have so far yielded no trace.
Voice370, the family support group representing relatives of the 239 passengers and crew, said any extension of the search contract should be granted without hesitation.
The latest search conducted by Ocean Infinity covered 7,571sq km over 28 operational days across two phases following a March 25, 2025 agreement. The broader search area was estimated at 15,000sq km. Phase 2 concluded on Jan 23, 2026.
Voice370 said while Ocean Infinity’s current contract runs until June, deteriorating sea conditions and the approaching winter make it unlikely that Ocean Infinity could continue with the search.
On Dec 30 last year, the Texas-based Ocean Infinity restarted its seabed search for MH370, embarking on a 55-day operation focused on areas considered most likely to yield the missing aircraft.
Conducted under a service agreement with the Malaysian government, the mission operates on a “no find, no fee” basis, shielding Malaysia from costs if no wreckage is recovered. Should debris be located, Ocean Infinity stands to earn US$70 million (RM283.7 million) – the same terms offered during its initial 2018 search.
“A simple addendum extending the contract period without altering the core terms would allow the search to continue without delay,” said Voice370.
“If the present search is unsuccessful, we would also urge Malaysia to consider extending similar opportunities to other capable deep-sea exploration companies under the same ‘no find, no fee’ framework
“We are grateful to the Malaysian government for accepting this offer, and to Ocean Infinity for its willingness to undertake such an arduous mission without certainty of reward.
“Above all, we remember the 239 passengers and crew of MH370 whose absence continues to be felt every single day by the families and loved ones they left behind. We will never give up the fight for answers,” it said in a statement.
Yesterday marked the 12th anniversary of MH370’s disappearance, a tragedy that continues to weigh heavily on families and the global aviation community. Flight MH370 vanished on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, less than an hour after take-off.
Investigations indicated that the aircraft deviated from its planned route over the Malay Peninsula before heading south over the Indian Ocean.
In a statement, the Transport Ministry’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau said Ocean Infinity had also conducted additional survey activities prior to the formal agreement to support the operation.
“As of the date of this update, the search activities undertaken have not yielded any findings confirming the location of the aircraft wreckage.”
To date, only a few confirmed pieces of wreckage, including wing flaperons, have washed up along western Indian Ocean islands and the east African coast.
The main wreckage and black boxes remain missing, leaving MH370 one of aviation’s greatest mysteries and prompting ongoing international search efforts.