MH370: Seabed Constructor arrives at search area

PUTRAJAYA: Seabed Constructor, the vessel tasked to search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, has arrived at the search area in the southern Indian Ocean.

Department of Civil Aviation ( DCA) director-general and head of MH370 Response Team Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the vessel had commenced search operations with the first Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) launched at 0055hrs local time ( 0255hrs Malaysia time) on Jan 22 and subsequently the remaining AUVs.

The Malaysian government has engaged US- based seabed exploration company, Ocean Infinity Limited, for the search of MH370. Ocean Infinity leased the Norwegian research vessel Seabed Constructor for the search.

Flight MH370 with 239 people on board vanished from radar screens while on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014, and has been classified as among the world’s greatest aviation mysteries.

“The search operation to locate flight MH370 by Ocean Infinity is based on a “no cure no fee” basis within a 90- day time frame,”said Azharuddin in a statement yesterday.

Azharuddin said the mission involved a total of 65 crew on board including two personnel from the Royal Malaysian Navy as the Malaysian government’s representatives.

“The team will be updating the families of those who were on board MH370 via text messages and email as well as update 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 said. — Bernama