Flight Mh370 Search 2026: Official Timeline of the 1-Year Extension and Findings
The quest to locate MH370 spans distinct technological eras, migrating from cumbersome towed deep-tow sensors to untethered autonomous underwater drone fleets. The table below delineates the major phases, operational scales, and outcomes of the maritime investigation.
| Phase & Timeline | Leading Entities | Seabed Coverage | Primary Equipment & Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Tripartite Search(2014, 2017) | Australia (ATSB), Malaysia, China | 120,000 km² | Towed sonars, bathymetric vessels. Located 19th-century shipwrecks; aircraft wreckage not found. Suspended at $150M cost. |
| Ocean Infinity Phase 1(2018) | Ocean Infinity, Seabed Constructor | 112,000 km² | Fleet of 8 HUGIN 6000 AUVs. Covered expanded corridors along the 7th Arc up to 25°S; no positive debris identification. |
| Scientific Reassessment(2019, 2025) | Independent Technical Working Groups | Desk study / Simulation | Recalibration of flaperon drift physics; analysis of Inmarsat burst timing (BFO/BTO); acoustic modeling at Cape Leeuwin. |
| Extended Contract Phase(2026, 2027) | Malaysian Gov, Ocean Infinity | 15,000, 25,000 km² (Targeted) | Armada lean-crewed surface ships and 6,000m-rated autonomous submersibles deploying high-resolution synthetic aperture sonar. |
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