Chronological Record
MH370 Timeline
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8 March 2014
Flight MH370 disappears
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 operating Kuala Lumpur → Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew, disappears from air traffic control tracking less than an hour after takeoff.
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8 March 2014 (morning)
Search and rescue is initiated
The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre (ARCC) is activated and search-and-rescue begins in the South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand near the last known ATC contact area.
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8 March 2014 (later)
Malaysia Airlines issues first press statement
Malaysia Airlines announces the aircraft is missing and that search and rescue has been initiated; passenger and crew family notification efforts begin and the manifest is released.
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8 March 2014
Malaysian military radar review begins
After the public announcement, the Royal Malaysian Air Force reviews military radar data and later determines an unidentified aircraft (later assessed as MH370) crossed the Malay Peninsula and was tracked until it left radar range over the Andaman Sea.
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8 March 2014
Investigation teams mobilize; Inmarsat data is shared
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board sends investigators; Inmarsat provides data regarding satellite communications in response to a request from SITA (the datalink provider).
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9 March 2014
Search expands; Andaman Sea focus increases
By day’s end, dozens of aircraft and vessels from multiple nations participate. Thailand shifts search focus toward the Andaman Sea at Malaysia’s request, amid indications the aircraft may have turned back.
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9 March 2014
INTERPOL confirms stolen passport use
INTERPOL confirms stolen Austrian and Italian passports were in its database and had not been queried. Early terrorism speculation is raised, but officials say no links are found.
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9–11 March 2014
Inmarsat analyzes satellite data; two-arc concept emerges
Inmarsat staff analyze satellite communications data and determine the aircraft likely continued flying for several hours, producing information consistent with two possible end-of-flight “arc” corridors.
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10 March 2014
Malaysia confirms a “turn back”
The Royal Malaysian Air Force confirms the aircraft made a turn back from its planned route.
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11 March 2014
Stolen-passport passengers identified as migrants
Malaysian police state the two passengers using stolen passports are Iranian men believed to be migrants; INTERPOL says evidence increasingly points away from terrorism.
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14 March 2014
Inmarsat publicly acknowledges recorded transmissions
Inmarsat publicly acknowledges the satellite network recorded transmissions from the aircraft for several hours after it disappeared from ATC tracking.
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15 March 2014
Malaysia PM outlines satellite link and two corridors
Malaysia’s Prime Minister states the aircraft remained in contact with Inmarsat for hours after being lost by ATC and describes two possible corridors (northwest and south into the Indian Ocean).
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17 March 2014
Australia agrees to lead southern corridor search
Australia agrees to coordinate the search along the southern corridor in the southern Indian Ocean and issues a shipping broadcast requesting assistance.
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18 March 2014
First aerial search in southern Indian Ocean by Australia
Australia conducts its first aerial search in the southern Indian Ocean in an area determined by U.S. NTSB analysis.
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20 March 2014
Satellite imagery suggests possible floating objects
Australia announces satellite imagery appears to show two large objects floating in the ocean within the search region.
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26–29 March 2014
Search zones shift; international investigation panel planned
Satellite images and evolving analysis lead to changes in the search area. Malaysia announces an international panel will be formed to investigate the incident.
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9 April 2014
Malaysia submits preliminary report to ICAO
Malaysia submits a preliminary report to ICAO calling for improved tracking technology for commercial aircraft.
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10 April 2014
Possible ULB (pinger) detection reported (later deemed unlikely)
A sonobuoy deployment reports a possible underwater locator beacon signal; officials later state it is unlikely to be related.
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13–14 April 2014
Oil slick tested; Bluefin-21 deployed for seabed scanning
An oil slick near possible detections is tested and found not to be jet fuel or hydraulic fluid. With locator beacon batteries nearing end-of-life, Bluefin-21 AUV scanning begins for seafloor sonar survey near the detection area.
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28 April 2014
Surface search ends; focus shifts to underwater
The surface search concludes after weeks of operations; efforts concentrate on underwater survey and analysis.
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28 May 2014
Early seabed sonar phase ends without locating debris
Seafloor sonar survey efforts conclude for this phase without finding debris attributable to MH370.
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6 October 2014
Underwater search commences
The underwater search begins with multiple vessels participating across the defined priority areas.
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8 October 2014
ATSB releases updated satellite analysis report
ATSB releases an updated analysis of satellite communications suggesting the most likely location is south of a previously identified priority area.
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January 2015
Malaysia declares Flight 370 an accident; interim report released
Malaysia declares the event an accident under the Chicago Convention and issues an interim report focused on factual information.
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29 July 2015
Flaperon discovered on Réunion
Marine debris resembling an aircraft component is found on Réunion; it is later confirmed as a Boeing 777 flaperon linked to MH370.
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5 August 2015
Malaysia confirms debris is from Flight 370
Malaysia’s Prime Minister confirms the discovered flaperon is from Flight 370; subsequent confirmations follow from investigators and authorities.
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17 January 2017
Underwater search is suspended
After searching a large area of the southern Indian Ocean without locating the wreckage, the underwater search is officially suspended.
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January 2018
Ocean Infinity launches a new search (no find, no fee)
A private search by Ocean Infinity begins over a newly defined search area; it ends months later without success and data is donated to seabed mapping efforts.
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March 2019
Malaysia states willingness to review credible new proposals
Malaysia indicates it will review credible leads or proposals for a renewed search.
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6 March 2022
Ocean Infinity signals readiness to resume search pending approval
Ocean Infinity expresses commitment to resuming the search in a future window, pending Malaysian government approval.
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8 March 2023
Malaysia says it will not “close the book” on MH370
Malaysia’s Transport Minister reiterates the case is not closed and future searches may proceed with new credible information.
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2 May 2024
Ocean Infinity submits a new search proposal
Ocean Infinity submits a proposal to Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport for a renewed search effort.
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20 December 2024
Malaysia approves a new “no find, no fee” search agreement
Malaysia approves a renewed search covering a targeted area in the southern Indian Ocean under a “no find, no fee” arrangement.
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25 February 2025
Ocean Infinity resumes the search
Malaysia’s Transport Minister confirms Ocean Infinity has resumed search operations.
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3 April 2025
Search is suspended due to seasonal conditions
The search is temporarily suspended due to seasonal weather, with plans to resume in a later window.
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3 December 2025
Malaysia confirms a planned resumption window
Malaysia issues an official statement confirming search operations are scheduled to resume on 30 December 2025 for a defined operational period.
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23 January 2026
Ocean Infinity concludes renewed search without findings
Ocean Infinity departs the southern Indian Ocean after surveying more than 140,000 km² across two phases (March 2025 and December 2025–January 2026). No wreckage is located. Approximately 7,428 km² of the defined search area remains uncovered.
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29 June 2026
Malaysia extends search agreement with Ocean Infinity until June 2027
Malaysia's cabinet approves a 12-month extension of the Ocean Infinity search agreement (1 July 2026–30 June 2027) under the same "no find, no fee" terms. Vessels are expected to redeploy to the remaining 7,428 km² search area between November 2026 and April 2027.
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