Acting transport minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said a news report, suggesting that flight MH370 was airborne for a few four hours after it disappeared from radar, is inaccurate.

"The last transmission from the aircraft was at 1.07am which indicated everything was normal. Rolls Royce and Boeing teams are in Kuala Lumpur and have been working with MAS and the investigation team since Sunday. These issues have never been raised,’ he said at a press conference at 5.30 pm Thursday.

He added that Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) dispatched a plane in the morning to investigate potential debris shown on Chinese satellite images. However, they found nothing.

‘We have contacted the Chinese embassy who this afternoon and said the images were released by mistake and did not show any debris from MH370."

On the issue of MH370’s airworthiness, he said the aircraft has been fully serviced and was fit to fly according to engineering and maintenance records.

"All maintenance checks were in order. The last routine maintenance service was conducted on 23rd February 2014. The next service is due on 19th June."