Families of MH370 victims urge extending the search, 12 years after Malaysia Airlines jet vanished.

On Sunday, relatives of the passengers and crew of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 appealed to the Malaysian authorities to prolong the agreement with deep‑sea contractor Ocean Infinity, allowing the hunt for the missing aircraft to go on.

The Boeing 777, transporting 227 passengers and 12 crew members, disappeared on 8 March 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, joining the ranks of the most persistent aviation enigmas.

Several search missions have been launched across the southern Indian Ocean since the disappearance, yet none have produced results.

In March of the previous year, Malaysia consented to let Ocean Infinity restart the effort, stipulating that the company would receive $70 million only if it succeeded in locating the wreckage.

The nation's Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) reported on Sunday that the missions have yet to uncover any evidence, despite two search stages lasting 28 days and scanning roughly 7,571 km² (2,923 sq mi) of ocean floor.

The AAIB noted that adverse weather and sea states intermittently halted work, and the second phase concluded on 23 January.

“​The government stays dedicated to informing the families and will issue further updates as needed,” the bureau added.

Voice370, an organization of the victims’ relatives, warned that Ocean Infinity is unlikely to restart the search before its contract expires in June, given the approaching southern‑hemisphere winter and worsening sea conditions.

The group called on the authorities to approve any extension of Ocean Infinity’s contract and to offer comparable terms to other interested exploration companies.

“​A straightforward amendment that prolongs the contract while keeping its main provisions unchanged would enable the search to proceed without interruption,” the statement read.

Ocean Infinity has previously undertaken searches for the aircraft but did not locate any significant debris.

A 2018 report by Malaysian investigators offered no definitive explanation for the flight’s fate, though it did not dismiss the chance that the plane was intentionally diverted.