Malaysia Airlines MH370: Plane crashed in southern Indian Ocean, Malaysian PM says យន្តហោះម៉ាឡេស៊ីរកឃើញធ្លាក់នៅក្នុងមហាសមុទ្រឥណ្ឌា

Post by ខែ្មរ សុវណ្ណភូមិ.

VIDEO: Families distraught as MH370 declared lost in southern Indian Ocean (ABC News)

PHOTO: Distraught relatives react to the news from the Malaysian PM. (AFP: Goh Chai Hin)

MAP: Malaysia

China has demanded proof and distraught relatives have reacted with shock and anger after Malaysia announced it now believed missing flight MH370 crashed into the southern Indian Ocean with no survivors.

Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak announced overnight that new satellite data from UK company Inmarsat showed the Malaysia Airlines plane flew along the southern search corridor.

How satellites tracked MH370

Britain's Inmarsat used a wave phenomenon discovered in the 19th century to determine MH370's final destination.

"Using a type of analysis never before used in an investigation of this sort, they have been able to shed more light on MH370's flight path," he said.

The analysis concluded that the plane's last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.

"It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that in light of this new data, MH370 flight ended in the southern Indian Ocean," Mr Najib said.

"The past few weeks have been heartbreaking. I know this news must be harder still."

The news was followed by an announcement from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) that today's search has been suspended because of bad weather.

Inmarsat experts speak with the ABC

• Inmarsat's Chris McLaughlin reveals reason for delay in release of information
• Former pilot and Inmarsat engineer Fintan Ryan explains how pings were detected despite communications being switched off

Inmarsat's satellites facilitate ACARS - manual or automated text messages sent from planes back to base and vice versa.

Satellite data can help to refine the plane's location by extrapolating a rough location from the time it takes for the 'ping' to be picked up by a satellite.

Malaysia Airlines sent a text message to relatives ahead of Mr Najib's announcement saying: "We have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived".

The airline said the SMS message was used "only as an additional means of communicating with the families".

A statement was also issued shortly before Mr Najib's press conference:

Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume that MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean. As you will hear in the next hour from Malaysia’s Prime Minister, new analysis of satellite data suggests the plane went down in the southern Indian Ocean.

On behalf of all of us at Malaysia Airlines and all Malaysians, our prayers go out to all the loved ones of the 226 passengers and of our 13 friends and colleagues at this enormously painful time.

We know there are no words that we or anyone else can say which can ease your pain. We will continue to provide assistance and support to you, as we have done since MH370 first disappeared in the early hours of 8 March, while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

The ongoing multinational search operation will continue, as we seek answers to the questions which remain. Alongside the search for MH370, there is an intensive investigation, which we hope will also provide answers.

We would like to assure you that Malaysia Airlines will continue to give you our full support throughout the difficult weeks and months ahead.

Once again, we humbly offer our sincere thoughts, prayers and condolences to everyone affected by this tragedy.

Aircraft and ships from more than 20 nations have been hunting for any signs of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 since it disappeared on March 8.

The jet was carrying 239 people, including six Australians, and was en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it went missing. Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese.