Malaysia is negotiating with US-based seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity to resume the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

MH370 vanished three years ago somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur with 239 people aboard. Its disappearance has become one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries.

Malaysia, Australia and China ended an RM663 million ($157 million) deep-sea search for the plane in January without any trace being found.

But Malaysia said this week it had received proposals from Ocean Infinity, Dutch firm Fugro and an unidentified Malaysian company offering to continue the search.

"Yes, we are negotiating with Ocean Infinity but the agreement has not been finalised," Deputy Transport Minister Aziz Kaprawi told Reuters.

“Ocean Infinity are not yet able to confirm the award of a contract to help in the search for MH370, but good progress has been made," a spokesman for Ocean Infinity said in a statement.

- Reuters