Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Monday said his government is willing to reopen its investigation into the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines MH370 flight if compelling new evidence emerges after another government official indicated that a fresh underwater search may be conducted for the plane that went missing a decade ago.
Visitors are writing messages at the Day of Remembrance for MH370 in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.
On the sidelines of an ASEAN gathering in Melbourne, Ibrahim told reporters that his government would “certainly be happy to reopen” the probe into the flight’s disappearance if there was “compelling evidence,” AFP reported.
Ibrahim added that this was an issue “affecting the lives of people and whatever needs to be done must be done.”
Ibrahim’s remarks follow comments by Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Sunday that he may agree to a new underwater search for the missing plane—which is widely believed to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean.
While addressing the passenger’s relatives at a 10th-anniversary memorial event, Loke said he was ready to meet with American marine robotics and deep ocean exploration company Ocean Infinity to discuss the firm’s “no find, no fee” proposal for a new search.
The minister said after talking with Ocean Infinity, he would take its proposal to the country’s cabinet for approval on the financial terms but added that cost was not an issue.
Loke said the government is “steadfast in our resolve to locate MH370” and hopes the search can find the plane, leading to “tears of joy” from some family members in attendance, the Associated Press reported.
The Austin, Texas-based Ocean Infinity has submitted a proposal for a new underwater search for the missing airliner, the New Straits Times reported Sunday, citing the company’s CEO Oliver Plunkett. The company was involved in an unsuccessful deep-sea search for the plane in 2018. Plunkett said new technology and advanced robotics have enhanced its capabilities since then and the company is now in a “position to be able to return to the search for MH370.” The company’s chief said Ocean Infinity has worked with several experts to analyze available data on the missing plane to help narrow the search area “down to one in which success becomes potentially achievable.” The report didn’t mention any financial terms for the proposal, aside from the fact that it was “no cure, no fee,” which means the company will only be paid if there’s a successful outcome. Loke also did not divulge the fee Ocean Infinity has proposed for finding the aircraft’s remains, stating it was subject to negotiations, the AP report added.