Malaysia’s transport ministry announced that the search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume on 30 December, more than 10 years after its disappearance.

The US-based company Ocean Infinity will conduct a 55-day, intermittent seabed search under a “no-find, no-fee” contract, targeting areas deemed most likely to contain the wreckage.

Families of the 239 people onboard welcomed the renewed effort, expressing hope for long-awaited answers and closure.

Previous searches across more than 120,000 sq km of the Indian Ocean failed to locate the plane, though debris has washed ashore in east Africa and the Indian Ocean islands, The Guardian has reported.

Malaysia said the renewed search reflects its continued commitment to solving one of aviation’s greatest mysteries, noting that earlier investigations concluded the aircraft was manually turned around and that unlawful interference could not be ruled out.