Overview
- Malaysia’s transport ministry says the intermittent mission begins 30 December and is scheduled for 55 days over a roughly 15,000 sq km high‑probability area.
- The company will be paid $70 million only if substantive wreckage is located, and the precise search coordinates have not been released.
- Ocean Infinity plans to deploy Hugin 6000 autonomous underwater vehicles with high‑resolution sonar, laser and optical mapping, sub‑bottom profiling and magnetometers to depths of up to 6,000 metres, with ROVs on standby for inspection and recovery.
- A former Qantas pilot said the targeting will pair satellite tracking data with so‑called “whisper” long‑wave signal analysis to tighten the search focus.
- The renewed effort follows an April pause due to poor weather after weeks at sea; relatives have welcomed the restart as they seek answers to the 2014 disappearance of 239 people after the aircraft turned off course.