CGTN America
As the intensive hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 entered its second month, the only certainty was that it would become the most expensive search and recovery effort in aviation history.
An unprecedented search and rescue effort. Given the scale of the search operations for MH370, analysts estimate that the $50 million spent on the two-year probe into Air France flight 447 – the previous record – appears to have been easily surpassed after just four weeks. While the Joint Agency Coordination center that oversees the search operation has not released the cost of the search cost of the financial burden will be borne by the countries who have contributed their forces.
For example, Australia deployed a navy replenishment vessel, HMAS Success, two weeks ago. It costs AU$550,000 a day to operate and that is just a single ship. The U.S. Department of Defense set aside $4m to help the search: but already spent around $7.1 Million to date.
While China that has deployed up to 9 vessels in the search operation so far, and many other countries that have deployed aircrafts and ships.. are not releasing the cost of operation.
Cost of Search for Flight 370 to be Highest in Aviation History
As the intensive hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 entered its second month, the only certainty was that it would become the most expensive search and recovery effort in aviation history.The fact that the investigators are looking in the wrong place in the early days of the search also contributes to the cost and as the search moved underwater, 4500 meters deep where specialized equipment will be needed, the cost will even be higher .
This sense of responsibility is shared by many of the countries involved and the operation has been a shining example of multinational cooperation, but as the hunt wore on, many of the governments involved may soon face a tough decision about whether to keep bearing the extraordinary costs of the search.
Captain Mark Weiss, member of The Spectrum Group weighs in on the search costs and discusses the possibilities of finding the missing plane soon.
