CANBERRA, March 17 — Australia will do what it can to assist Malaysia to locate the missing flight in whatever state it is in, China’s Xinhua news agency reported Defence Minister David Johnston as saying here today

Australia has provided two RAAF P-3C Orion aircraft to assist the Malaysian government in its search effort since March 9.  

“We are now changing our focus to the central eastern Indian Ocean to try to solve this mystery,” he said.

 “We will do what we can in the future to assist Malaysia to locate the aircraft in whatever state it is in.”

Johnston confirmed that both Australian aircraft have been tasked by the Royal Malaysian Air Force Commander for the Western Region Search Area and the information on progress of the search would be directed to the Malaysian authorities.

According to an update from the Australian Department of Defence yesterday, Malaysian authorities coordinating the search had re-tasked an Australian aircraft, Xinhua reported.

One RAAF P-3C Orion commenced searching in the Indian Ocean to the north and west of the Cocos Islands and another P-3C Orion will continue to search west of Malaysia. — Bernama