Flight MH370 ended in Indian Ocean - Malaysian PM; no survivors - airline

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak says new satellite data confirms Flight MH370 went down in the southern Indian Ocean, with no chance of a safe landing.

At the same time - around 11pm last night NZT - Malaysia Airlines sent a statement to families of the passengers saying it is now"beyond any reasonable doubt" that flight MH370 has been lost and there are no survivors.

Mr Najib told a press conference

This evening I was briefed by representatives from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch [AAIB]. They informed me that Inmarsat, the UK company that provided the satellite data which indicated the northern and southern corridors, has been performing further calculations on the data.

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.

Based on their new analysis, Inmarsat and the AAIB have concluded that MH370 flew along the southern corridor, and that its last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth.

This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that, according to this new data, flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

Mr Najib said further information would be given at a news conference today. He did not take questions after his statement.

Satellite analysis
The latest calculations were based on a new analysis of the satellite-operator's original data, relying on minute changes in the frequency of the electronic "pings" – or attempts to link up with satellites – received from the plane during its more than six-hour flight after dropping off radar.

A massive search has been under way since search authorities shifted their focus to a “southern arc” of the plane’s possible route since its mysteriously changed direction while on a flight from Kualala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

The operation has covered nearly 200,000 square miles (518,000sq km) since it began March 17 using civil and military aircraft from Australia, New Zealand, the US, China and Japan.

New objects found - Abbott
Meanwhile, the Australian Navy is investigating two objects spotted near where Flight 370 was confirmed to have gone down based on the satellite data.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott told Parliament yesterday two objects – one gray or green circular object and the second an orange rectangular object – were spotted by an Australian military aircraft about 2500km (1550 miles) southwest of Perth.

The two coloured objects are separate to the possible wooden pallet spotted by a Chinese satellite, Mr Abbott says.

An Australian naval vessel, the HMAS Success is now in the area attempting to locate the objects.