Malaysia has decided to resume deep-sea searches for the wreckage of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared more than a decade ago. The country's Transport Ministry announced this, marking the start of the operation on December 30.

The American company Ocean Infinity, which specializes in underwater robotic exploration, will lead the expedition. It will last 55 days and will be conducted intermittently in the most promising areas of the Indian Ocean, covering an area of ​​15 square kilometers. Under the "no find, no fee" agreement, the Malaysian government will pay $70 million only if significant fragments of the liner are discovered.

Flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, disappeared on March 8, 2014, shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. There were 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board, mostly Chinese citizens. The plane abruptly changed course and, according to satellite data, crashed in the southern Indian Ocean. Previous multinational searches, including a 2017 search and the privately run Operation Ocean Infinity in 2018, have yielded no results, although scattered pieces of debris were found on the African coast and islands.

The Malaysian Transport Ministry stressed that the new attempt reflects the authorities' commitment to the families of the victims.

"This underscores our determination to provide closure to those affected by this tragedy." the department said in a statement.