The Boeing 777 plane disappeared from radar shortly after taking off on March 8, 2014, carrying 239 people, mostly Chinese nationals, on a flight from Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, to Beijing.
Satellite data showed the plane turned from its flight path and headed south to the far-southern Indian Ocean, where it is believed to have crashed.
The transport ministry said in a statement that US-based marine robotics firm Ocean Infinity will search intermittently from December 30 for a total of 55 days, in targeted areas believed to have the highest likelihood of finding the missing aircraft.
“The latest development underscores the government of Malaysia’s commitment in providing closure to the families affected by this tragedy,” it said.
In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, “We … appreciate the efforts made by the Malaysian side.”
Malaysia’s government gave the green light in March for a “no-find, no-fee” contract with Ocean Infinity to resume the seabed search operation at a new 15,000-square-kilometre site in the ocean.
Ocean Infinity will be paid US$70 million only if wreckage is discovered.
The search was halted in April due to bad weather.
An expensive multinational search failed to turn up any clues to its location, although debris washed ashore on the east African coast and Indian Ocean islands.
A private search in 2018 by Ocean Infinity also found nothing. (AP)
