25 nations looking for missing plane

Malaysia has asked for official assistance from south-eastern and south Asian nations including Bangladesh as the search operation for missing plane MH370 has entered a new phase involving 25 countries.
The Malaysian prime minister has spoken to his counterparts in Bangladesh and India, as well as presidents of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.  
The search area - from central Asia to the southern Indian Ocean - takes in large tracts of land and sea, reports BBC. An already complex search operation has become even more difficult, Malaysia's transport minister says.
The foreign ministry of Malaysia had briefed representatives from 22 countries, including those along the northern and southern search corridors, as well other countries that may be able to help, reports Malaysia's national news agency Bernama.
"The number of countries involved in the search and rescue operation has increased from 14 to 25, which brings new challenges of coordination and diplomacy to the search effort," said Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia's defence and transport (acting) minister.
"Basically, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Australia have been approached.”
Speaking at a press conference, he said, "In the last 24 hours, the Prime Minister has spoken to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the President of Turkmenistan, the President of Kazakhstan and Prime Minister of India.”
Malaysia has said satellite data showed Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 could have flown anywhere from Kazakhstan to the southern Indian Ocean after disappearing from civilian radar on March 8.
Investigators are trying to obtain more radar and satellite data from any of the countries that flight MH370 may have passed over, with its 239 crew and passengers.
“Malaysian officials are requesting assistance from these and other countries. This support includes general satellite data, radar playback, visions of ground and sea search and assets as appropriate,” the minister also said.
"From focusing mainly on shallow seas, we are now looking at large tracts of land, crossing 11 countries, as well as deep and remote oceans."
Bangladesh has already engaged two patrol aircraft and two frigates from to search the missing plane in the Bay of Bengal.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday directed Bangladesh Navy to start the search operation, Mahbubul Hoque Shakil, special assistant to the PM, told The Daily Star.