Expanding search area to west coast justified, says Hishammuddin

(Malaysian Insider) - Malaysia today stood by its decision to extend the search area for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to the west coast of the peninsula, saying the move was endorsed by two American agencies, the acting transport minister said today.

Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) had said there were reasonable grounds to conduct the search in that area after studying the flight data.

Malaysia rejects report that plane flew on, Chinese photos of wreckage

Malaysia today denied a report that its missing airliner flew on four hours after disappearing from radar and said Chinese photos that raised hopes of a search breakthrough actually showed no wreckage.

"The reports are inaccurate," Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein told reporters. He added that China had told Malaysia the satellite photos were released "by mistake and did not show any debris."

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Map showing the expanded areas of search for the MH370 flight (CNBC)

Police deny reports that they had searched homes of MH370 crew members

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