Missing MH370: Australia to lead southern search for MH370

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott. - AFP

SYDNEY: Australia will take responsibility for the "southern vector" of the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with 25 countries now involved in a huge operation to locate the plane, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said Monday.

The Malaysian Government has revealed an investigation indicates the jet was deliberately diverted and flew for several hours after leaving its scheduled flight path - either north towards Central Asia, or towards the southern Indian Ocean.