PETALING JAYA: United States-based firm Ocean Infinity is keen to embark on another search for the missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft MH370, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The Transport Minister said Ocean Infinity was willing to accept another "no cure, no fee" deal similar to the one in 2018, where the government would only pay the company if it managed to find the wreckage.
"Had a meeting with Ocean Infinity Chief Executive Officer Oliver Plunkett and representatives of the next of kin of flight MH370 victims at my office.
"Plunkett gave us an update on the company’s latest advances in their technology, human talent, and capabilities compared to five years ago.
"He shared Ocean Infinity’s readiness to resume the search operation of MH370 based on a 'no cure, no fee' deal, whereby payment is made only if the company finds the wreckage," said Dr Wee in a Facebook post on Monday (June 20).
In one of the world’s biggest aviation mysteries, flight MH370 which was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur vanished with 239 people on board on March 8, 2014.
In 2018, Ocean Infinity conducted a search for the plane in the southern Indian Ocean but it ended without success.
Dr Wee reiterated that a decision to resume search operations could only be made if the governments of Malaysia, China and Australia could jointly agree.
"I have instructed my officers at the Transport Ministry to obtain further information from Ocean Infinity for deliberation before we consult on further decisions with the Governments of Australia and the People’s Republic of China.
"We further reiterated that there must be new credible evidence before we can proceed with another search operation," said the minister.
Also present at the meeting at the Transport Ministry on Monday were officers from the Aviation Division, Air Accident Investigation Bureau, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia.
