KUALA LUMPUR: International search operations shifted its focus to the Indian Ocean to locate the Malaysian aircraft missing for the last one week amid conflicting reports that the jetliner may have flown towards the Andaman Islands, further compounding the mystery.
While one report suggested that Flight MH370 may have flown across the Malay peninsula towards the Andaman Islands, another quoting a U.S. official spoke about the possibility of the plane having flown far away from the areas currently searched jointly by 13 countries, including India.
Aviation experts discounted both possibilities, reasoning that the Boeing 777-200 could not have flown undetected over such a long distance.
Malaysia widened its search in the Indian Ocean for the missing plane with 239 people aboard and sought radar data from its neighbors and India.
The request from Malaysia came a day after India joined the massive search operations by deploying six aircraft including its latest special surveillance P-8I plane and three helicopters under 'Operation Searchlight'.
India's navy, air force and coast guard are searching for the MH370 flight in the south Andaman Sea following a request from Malaysia.
Malaysian acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said his country has sought radar data from India and other neighbouring countries to trace the plane that went missing after taking off late on Friday from Kuala Lumpur for Beijing.
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