'Seabed Constructor' begins search for MH370

This undated handout picture released Wednesday, Jan 10, 2018 by the company Ocean Infinity shows the vessel 'Seabed Constructor' which has been dispatched to the southern Indian Ocean to search for the wreckage of the missing plane MH370.

PETALING JAYA: The vessel Seabed Constructor has begun the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, said Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman.

In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 23), the Department of Civil Aviation director-general shared that the vessel had arrived at the search area in the southern Indian Ocean.

According to Azharuddin, who is also head of the MH370 Response Team, the vessel commenced the search operation with the first Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) launched at 12.55am local time (2.55am Malaysian time) on Monday (Jan 22) and subsequently the remaining AUVs. 

The vessel is equipped with eight autonomous submersibles.

“The team will be updating the families of those on board MH370 via text messages and email as well as updated information on the MH370 official website under the next-of-kin section at http://mh370.gov.my/index.php/en/ as and when new information becomes available,” he added.

The mission involves a total of 65 crew on board including two personnel from the Royal Malaysian Navy as representatives of the Government of Malaysia. 

The search operation to locate Flight MH370 by American-based underwater survey company Ocean Infinity is based on a “no cure no fee” basis within a 90-day time frame. 

Flight MH370 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in March 2014 with 239 people on board.