According to the latest AIS tracking data and operational reports from February 16, 2026, the renewed search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has reached a temporary standstill.

🚢 Current Status: Vessel in Transit

The primary search vessel, Armada 86-05, has officially departed the "7th Arc" search zone. After weeks of high-intensity operations in the Southern Indian Ocean, the ship is currently en route to Pago Pago, American Samoa, with an estimated arrival date of February 23, 2026. This marks the end of the first major phase of the 2025-2026 campaign.

🔍 Search Summary (Dec 2025 - Feb 2026)

• Area Covered: As of late January, the mission has scanned approximately 7,236 square kilometers of the seabed using a fleet of Hugin AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles).
• Findings: Despite early January rumors of "unusual vessel movements" that sparked viral speculation on Twitter and Reddit, official reports confirm no significant discoveries.
• The "Anomalies": Multiple sonar echoes were investigated during this phase, but they were either identified as geological formations (broken ridges) or dismissed after closer AI-driven analysis.

💼 The "No Find, No Fee" Agreement

The Malaysian government maintains its contract with Ocean Infinity:

• The Deal: $70 million USD payout ONLY if the main wreckage or flight recorders are located.
• The Tech: This campaign is the first to utilize the full "Armada" fleet, allowing for much longer dive times and higher-resolution sensors compared to the 2018 search.

📍 What's Next? The "Godfrey" Target

Aviation experts and enthusiasts are now looking toward the next phase. Once the vessel completes its crew change and resupply in Samoa, it is expected to target the high-probability coordinates suggested by aerospace engineer Richard Godfrey (based on WSPR radio anomalies). These coordinates (33.177 S, 95.300 E) have yet to be exhaustively searched with this new generation of equipment.