The underwater search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 has ended with no trace of the aircraft.
US-based company Ocean Infinity used a deep-sea vessel to conduct a 90-day survey of the vast area of the southern Indian Ocean.
In a statement, the company said, “in accordance with its agreement with the Government of Malaysia, Ocean Infinity has now completed 90 days of survey across the designated search area.”
The Boeing 777 disappeared on March 8, 2014 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.
Ocean Infinity began a privately-funded search for the plane in January, covering an area of about 80,000 sq km using a fleet of up to eight mini-submarines.
The company had agreed to undertake the search unpaid but would have received a reward of up to $70m if it had found the wreckage.
It is the second search to be conducted.
Underwater vehicles used in Ocean Infinity's MH370 search. Source: AAP
The first, also unsuccessful, led by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau took two and a half years.
“The search area was selected by leading oceanographers based upon drift analysis of the debris from MH370, the only actual evidence that exists,” Ocean Infinity said.
Oliver Plunkett, Ocean Infinity’s CEO, said: “I would firstly like to extend the thoughts of everyone at Ocean Infinity to the families of those who have lost loved ones on MH370."
"Part of our motivation for renewing the search was to try to provide some answers to those affected. It is therefore with a heavy heart that we end our current search without having achieved that aim.
"We are most grateful to the Government of Malaysia for entertaining our offer and affording us the opportunity to recommence the search.
"The commitment that the new government in Malaysia has made to prioritising finding MH370 was very good to hear."
Last week the Malaysian government announced it will no conduct any further searches, despite family members of those on board calling on search efforts to continue.
