Mystery Shrouds MH370 Search Out Of Fremantle

Malaysian Airlines MH370 went missing on 8 March 2014, with 239 passengers and crew on board. It was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, but somehow crashed somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Most theories suggest it was pilot suicide.

It has never been found despite extensive searches.

Well, a couple days ago the Shipping News received a whisper that a new search was about to commence out of Fremantle.

This made sense as on 20 December last, international media were reporting that the Malaysian Government had accepted in principle a proposal from Ocean Infinity “to proceed with seabed search operations to locate the wreckage of flight MH370 in a new area estimated at 15,000 square kilometres in the southern Indian Ocean”.

Further, the CEO of Ocean Infinity, Oliver Plunkett, was reported by the same media as welcoming the announcement and saying the company looked forward to sharing further updates in the new year once they had finalised the details and the team got ready to go.

Then Ocean Infinity’s Armada 78 06 search support vessel berthed just south of Fremantle at the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson a couple days ago. The word was it was taking in necessary supplies and stuff to commence the new search.

Armada 78 06, off Fremantle 6 March 2025. Credit & Copyright Les Moyle, Balm Commercial Photography

This afternoon Armada 78 06 left Henderson after a lack of clarity over a day or two about just when she was leaving.

It was assumed when she left she would be heading to the southern Indian Ocean search area to commence the search for MH370.

But then ship spotters spotted she was in fact listed to sail to Cape Town whence she’d come to Fremantle. Very strange. Why would the search vessel retrace its steps?

And then we heard that there was an rumour abounding that Ocean Infinity had yet to conclude a no find/no fee agreement with the Malaysian Government.

All very curious. Everything seemed shrouded in mystery, to coin a phrase.

So we wrote to Ocean Infinity seeking clarity, asking for confirmation of Armada 78 06’s journey back to Cape Town; whether Ocean Infinity had signed the no find/no fee agreement; whether the search for MH370 is in fact on; and if so, whether Armada 78 06 is the searcher?

Before our indicated time for publication of this story arrived, Ocean Infinity’ agent responded to our queries with this advice:

‘Ocean Infinity does not have any information to provide at this stage.

‘When this changes, we will be back in touch.’

Not what you’d call enlightening advice exactly. And not a denial in sight!

Seems to us there’s something fishy going on.

We await the next update from Ocean Infinity.

In the meantime, here are more of Les Moyle’s great shots of the departing, would-be MH370 search support vessel Armada 78 06 just off Fremantle this afternoon.

Credit & Copyright Les Moyle, Balm Commercial Photography

FYI, Ocean Infinity describes the Armada 78 class vessel as a 78m steel hulled DP2 multirole vessel designed to deliver geophysical survey, geotechnical sampling and inspection, maintenance and repair services. It has installed power and DP2 capability to support operations of Ocean Infinity’s fleet of ROV’s, seabed drills and CPT systems.

All Armada vessels are designed for remote operation from Ocean Infinity’s Remote Control Centre network.

The A78 is described as a ‘lean crewed vessel’ with facilities to host up to sixteen marine and payload personnel.

We were about to wish the Armada 78 06 and her crew well in their search for MH370. But that plainly would be premature!

Watch this space.

* By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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