Malaysia considers "several" proposals to renew MH370 hunt
Malaysia's government has yet to commit to restarting the search for missing flight MH370 but is assessing various proposals for a renewed hunt.
The search for theMalaysia AirlinesBoeing 777-200ER was called off in January after an extensive undersea exploration in the Indian Ocean failed to turn up traces of the aircraft.
Newly-published satellite images – captured 15 days after the disappearance – might indicate the possibility of aircraft debris, and oceanic drift modelling has pointed to a potential alternative impact zone.
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Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman says the new information will be included in its examination of proposals to resume the search.
"We remain to be guided as to how this [information] can be used to assist us in identifying the specific location of the aircraft," he adds.
Abdul Rahman says the government has "received several proposals from interested parties" regarding a renewed search, and that investigators are "assessing these offers".
The government has not given details of the proposals, but a group representing relatives of the aircraft's passengers, Voice370, has indicated that a US specialist exploration company, Ocean Infinity, is among those which have submitted offers.
Abdul Rahman points out that any decision will be taken with consideration to the views of Australian and Chinese representatives, and stresses that the "aspiration" to locate MH370 has "not been abandoned".