KUALA LUMPUR, March 25 — The operation to locate Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 is now considered a “recovery and investigation” effort, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said today.

Speaking in his country's Parliament this morning, Abbott said the reclassification was due to the Malaysian government's announcement last night that the Boeing 777-200ER that disappeared on March 8 with 239 on board “ended somewhere in the Indian Ocean”.

“This plane is lost in one of the most inaccessible parts of our globe. It is a long way from anywhere,” Abbott told Australian lawmakers this this morning, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“But the closest land is Australia, and we are the best-placed country to assist.”

Australia is leading search efforts for the missing plane that Malaysia yesterday announced was conclusively in the southern Indian Ocean based on analysis of previous communication between the MAS plane and a satellite belonging to UK firm Inmarsat.

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak made the announcement here last night.

Australia has been searching in the vicinity of the Indian Ocean 2,500km southwest of Perth in Western Australia since Thursday, after Abbott announced the discovery of satellite images that showed possible debris from the plane.

Today, Abbott also announced that Australia will make preparations to receive the families of those on board MH370, including waving visa processing fees for those headed to the continent.

“I understand that the loved ones of those on that plane may well wish to come to Australia in coming days and weeks. They will find a welcoming country that is more than willing to embrace them in this difficult time,” Abbott said.

After over two weeks of hope, MAS yesterday communicated to the families of those who flew on MH370 that the plane was certain to have crashed without any survivors.

“Malaysia Airlines deeply regrets that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost and that none of those on board survived,” read a text message the airline sent to families.