Texas firm takes on renewed search for missing MH370 with $70 million success-only contract

IN FLIGHT - APRIL 11: Co-pilot and Squadron Leader Brett McKenzie of the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) P-3K2-Orion aircraft, helps to look for objects during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in flight over the Indian Ocean on April 13, 2014 off the coast of Perth, Australia. Search and rescue officials in Australia are confident they know the approximate position of the black box recorders from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday. At the same time, however, the head of the agency coordinating the search said that the latest "ping" signal, which was captured by a listening device buoy on Thursday, was not related to the plane. (Photo by Greg Wood - Pool/Getty Images)
IN FLIGHT - APRIL 11: Co-pilot and Squadron Leader Brett McKenzie of the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) P-3K2-Orion aircraft, helps to look for objects during the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in flight over the Indian Ocean on April 13, 2014 off the coast of Perth, Australia. Search and rescue officials in Australia are confident they know the approximate position of the black box recorders from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Friday. At the same time, however, the head of the agency coordinating the search said that the latest "ping" signal, which was captured by a listening device buoy on Thursday, was not related to the plane. (Photo by Greg Wood - Pool/Getty Images) Photo credit (Photo by Greg Wood - Pool/Getty Images)

A Houston-based marine robotics company is preparing to restart the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 later this month under a contract that pays only if the wreckage is found, more than a decade after the jet vanished over the Indian Ocean.

Ocean Infinity will launch a 55-day mission beginning December 30, using autonomous deep-sea drones to scan a 5,800-square-mile zone identified by investigators as the most promising area for recovery.

The company will receive $70 million only if it locates the Boeing 777, which disappeared in March 2014 with 239 people on board.

The flight’s disappearance remains one of the largest mysteries in aviation history, with prior multinational searches ending without success.

Officials say the new effort reflects improved mapping technology and a more narrowly focused search area informed by updated drift modeling and satellite data.

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Featured Image Photo Credit: Getty