MH370: The Costliest Search in Aviation History Enters a New Chapter

More than a decade after Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanished without a trace, the mystery remains one of the most perplexing events in modern aviation.

Since the aircraft disappeared on March 8, 2014, the global search effort has cost an estimated 135 to 160 million US dollars, making it the most expensive search operation in aviation history.

Despite years of surface scans, deep-sea exploration, and international cooperation, the main wreckage of the aircraft has never been found.

Today, advances in underwater drone technology and refined data analysis have reopened the search, offering renewed hope to investigators and families who have waited more than 11 years for answers.

The Flight That Disappeared

Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 departed Kuala Lumpur just after midnight on March 8, 2014, bound for Beijing.

On board were 239 passengers and crew from 14 countries, most of them Chinese nationals.

The aircraft, a Boeing 777-200ER, climbed to its cruising altitude of approximately 35,000 feet without incident.

At 1:07 am local time, the aircraft transmitted its final routine message through the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS).

Twelve minutes later, at 1:19 am, the captain made the final radio transmission: “Good night, Malaysian three seven zero.

” Less than two minutes after that, the plane’s transponder was manually disabled, causing it to disappear from civilian radar screens.

Military radar systems, however, continued to track the aircraft for a short time.

Data later revealed that MH370 made a sharp westward turn, crossed the Malay Peninsula, and flew over the Strait of Malacca.

The last confirmed military radar contact occurred at approximately 2:22 am, around 200 nautical miles northwest of Penang Island.

Satellite Clues and a Growing Mystery

Although radar contact was lost, the aircraft’s satellite data unit continued to respond to automated satellite “handshakes” for several hours.

These signals, recorded between 3:41 am and 8:19 am, suggested that the aircraft remained airborne long after it vanished from radar.

The final handshake likely occurred shortly before the plane ran out of fuel.

Analysis of these satellite signals indicated that MH370 could have traveled along one of two arcs: north toward Central Asia or south into the remote southern Indian Ocean.

Subsequent analysis overwhelmingly supported the southern route, pointing to one of the most isolated and hostile regions on Earth.

Early Search Efforts and Initial Confusion

The initial response to the disappearance was hampered by delays and uncertainty.

Malaysia’s aeronautical rescue coordination center was not fully activated until several hours after the plane lost contact.

Early search efforts focused on the South China Sea, based on the aircraft’s planned flight path.

Once the westward turn was discovered, the search area expanded dramatically to include the Strait of Malacca, the Andaman Sea, and eventually the southern Indian Ocean.

The operation quickly became multinational in scale, involving aircraft, ships, and satellites from more than 25 countries.

At its peak, the search covered an area of approximately 7.7 million square kilometers.

Despite unprecedented resources and international cooperation, no wreckage was found in the early stages.

A Devastating Announcement

On March 24, 2014, Malaysian officials announced that Flight MH370 had ended in the southern Indian Ocean and that there were no survivors.

The conclusion was based solely on satellite data analysis, as no physical evidence had yet been recovered.

For many families, the announcement was devastating not only because of the loss itself, but also because of how the news was delivered.

Some relatives reportedly learned of the presumed fate of their loved ones through text messages rather than direct communication, deepening feelings of anger and grief.

The Deep-Sea Search

With no surface debris located, attention turned to the ocean floor.

Between 2014 and 2017, an extensive underwater search was conducted using advanced sonar technology.

Vessels mapped approximately 279,000 square kilometers of seabed, much of it previously uncharted.

In July 2015, a breakthrough finally occurred when a flaperon—a part of the aircraft’s wing—washed ashore on Réunion Island in the western Indian Ocean.

It was the first confirmed piece of MH370 wreckage.

Over time, more than 20 additional fragments believed to be from the aircraft were found along the coasts of Africa and nearby islands, consistent with ocean current modeling.

Despite these discoveries, the main wreckage remained elusive.

In January 2017, after searching a priority zone of 120,000 square kilometers at a cost of approximately 155 million dollars, authorities officially suspended the underwater search.

Private Efforts and Technological Progress

In 2018, a private exploration company, Ocean Infinity, launched a new search using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).

These robotic submarines were capable of scanning large areas of the seabed more efficiently than traditional methods.

The company searched an additional 112,000 square kilometers but did not locate the wreckage.

Although unsuccessful, these missions significantly advanced scientific understanding of the Indian Ocean floor.

The detailed seabed maps produced during the search have since been used for climate research and future maritime exploration.

A Renewed Search in 2025

In early 2025, the Malaysian government approved another attempt to locate MH370, once again partnering with Ocean Infinity.

This new mission operates under a “no find, no fee” agreement, meaning the company will only be paid if the aircraft is found.

The proposed reward stands at approximately 70 million dollars.

The search is being conducted using the Armada 7806, a state-of-the-art vessel launched in 2023.

The ship deploys a fleet of advanced AUVs capable of diving to depths of up to 6,000 meters and operating autonomously for extended periods.

These vehicles are equipped with high-resolution sonar systems, including side-scan, multibeam, synthetic aperture, and sub-bottom profiling sonar.

Artificial intelligence is also playing a major role, assisting analysts in processing vast amounts of satellite data, ocean current models, and historical search information.

Narrowing the Search Area

The current search focuses on a 15,000-square-kilometer area in the southern Indian Ocean, between approximately 1,560 and 2,400 kilometers west of Perth, Australia.

This region includes rugged underwater terrain featuring deep canyons, volcanic structures, and steep slopes—features that may have obscured wreckage during previous searches.

Several researchers have proposed refined impact locations based on updated satellite data analysis.

While experts do not fully agree on the exact coordinates, many believe the plane may have struck an underwater slope rather than plunging directly into a deep abyss, potentially leaving debris lodged along the terrain.

Experimental Data and Ongoing Debate

Among the newer analytical tools being considered is Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) technology, originally developed for amateur radio operators.

Some researchers suggest disruptions in radio signal propagation could correspond with the aircraft’s final flight path.

While the method remains controversial and unproven, it has contributed to narrowing the current search zone.

Former investigators involved in earlier search efforts have expressed cautious optimism, emphasizing that technological advancements now allow for far more precise seabed scanning than was possible a decade ago.

Challenges Ahead

The Indian Ocean remains one of the most difficult environments on Earth to explore.

Depths in the search area reach up to 7,400 meters, weather conditions are unpredictable, and operational windows are limited to certain months of the year.

Despite these obstacles, the ability to deploy multiple underwater drones simultaneously has significantly increased the efficiency of the search.

Each mission represents a careful balance between technological capability, environmental constraints, and financial risk.

Waiting for Answers

For the families of those on board MH370, the passage of time has not diminished the need for closure.

Many have continued to advocate for renewed searches, emphasizing that finding the wreckage is essential not only for emotional closure but also for understanding what went wrong and improving aviation safety.

The disappearance of MH370 remains a stark reminder that even in an era of advanced technology and global connectivity, some questions can remain unanswered for years.

Whether the current search will finally locate the aircraft is still unknown.

What is certain is that MH370 continues to shape aviation policy, search-and-rescue technology, and the collective memory of one of the most haunting disappearances in modern history.