Malaysia has shifted the ongoing search for a missing Malaysia Airlines aircraft northwest towards the Andaman Sea, far from its intended flight path.

Malaysia’s civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman on March 12 said they will leave no chance in the search for the plane, its passengers and crew. However, he did not specify whether the expansion of the search to the Andaman Sea was based on any firm evidence that the plane might be there.

This is the latest zone shift in the five days of the search.

The same day, the Malaysian Air Force said it could not be ruled out that the plane changed course from its intended flight path, but refuted reports that their radar definitely detected the plane in airspace above the Strait of Malacca at 2.40 a.m. on March 8.

Malaysia's national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar has said his officers are not ruling anything out, but are now focusing on the possibilities of hijacking, sabotage, or psychological or personal problems among passengers or crew.

The Thai navy has conducted search at the Andaman over the past three days but found no traces of the missing plane.-VNA