Canberra, Jan 3 (IANS): The search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has resumed after a research ship left South Africa, bound for a search area off the coast of Perth, authorities announced on Wednesday.

The Malaysian government has enlisted the US seabed exploration company Ocean Infinity, which chartered Norwegian ship Seabed Constructor, due to arrive in Perth on February 7 after it set sail from Port Durban on Tuesday, reports the Guardian.

The Malaysia Airlines flight disappeared on March 8, 2014, en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, with 239 people on board, sparking the largest search in aviation history.

Its disappearance is one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries and sparked the largest-ever search, costing about $200 million.

The Australia-led search for the aircraft was suspended in January 2017, much to the anguish of distraught relatives.

At the time it was suspended, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau released findings from international and CSIRO scientists that identified a smaller 25,000 sq.km area with "a high probability" that it contained the aircraft.