MH370: private company behind last hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines jet heads to one final spot of interest
Ocean Infinity vessel to investigate area where Chinese ship detected ultrasonic pulse in 2014 as official operation draws to a close
The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 is not quite over, the company leading the mission has said, despite the Malaysian government stating on Monday that it had ended.
The Guardian has learned that the seafront exploration company’s Seabed Constructor vessel will sail to the spot in the southern Indian Ocean where a Chinese patrol ship detected an ultrasonic pulse – which could have been consistent with that from a black box – in 2014.
Analysis of the movements of the Seabed Constructor estimated that it was still monitoring or recovering its submarine detection vessels early on Thursday morning local time.
A spokesperson for Ocean Infinity confirmed the company was aware of the reports of the possible black box signal four years ago, and it was heading to the area to check it out for themselves “before we head to port and bring this search to a close”.
The Malaysian government at the beginning of the week said its search agreement with Ocean Infinity had ended and would not be extended.