While a new search for the doomed MH370 plane is underway between the Malaysian government and Ocean Infinity – a retired research scientist believes he has located the wreckage of the missing Being 777 that vanished on March 8, 2014, en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.
Dr Vincent Lyne claims to have pinpointed a single yellow pixel in a global terrain model of the ocean floor – an anomaly that could indicate the long-lost plane. The pixel was found using GEBCO Bathymetric data which maps underwater terrain. According to Lyne, the anomaly appears at Latitude:33.02’S, Longitude:100.27’E in a crater at the Eastern end of Broken Ridge – a deep and rugged section of the Indian Ocean.
The startling claim by Lyne is reported in the Indian-based The Economic Times on March 19.
According to the report: “Hidden deep in the vast ocean where Broken Ridge meets the Diamantina Fracture Zone, a single bright pixel as emerged – pinpointing the wreckage with unprecedented accuracy. At 5,750 metres deep, it stood out as an extreme anomaly pointing to the potential MH370 crash site. Yet, inconsistencies in blended sonar and satellite altimeter data introduced some location uncertainty, despite the unmistakable extreme anomaly.”
Lyne, a former researcher at the University of Tasmania, argues that the crater he identified is inconsistent with natural seafloor features, suggesting that the plane may have been intentionally crashed into the deep hole. While these claims remain speculative, they add another layer to the ongoing mystery that has gripped the world for more than a decade.
The Malaysian government has decided to resume efforts to locate MH370, with Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook confirming the signing of a new deal based on the “no find, no fee” agreement.
“The government is committed to continuing the search operation and providing closure for the families of the doomed flights of the passengers,” Loke told local media.
Under the agreement, Ocean Infinity will receive $70 million if they successfully locate the wreckage. The new search area will cover approximately 15,000 sq km (5,790 sq miles) in the southern Indian Ocean.
Since the plane went missing, multiple large-scale search operations have been carried out, but without conclusive results.
The first joint search, conducted by Malaysia, China, and Australia was called off in 2017.
