The investigations on the disappearance of MH370 may “change aviation history”, with definite lessons to be learnt, said Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein, Sunday.

The Defence and Acting Transport Minister was responding to accusations that personnel working on military radars failed as the flight had gone undetected, until radar data were reviewed much later.

“It is not right to say there was a breach in standard operating procedure. Any new information we receive, we check… remember, this is an unprecedented case… it may change aviation history,” said Hishammuddin.

The disappearances of the Beoing 777-200ER has reignited debate on improvements to communications, with aviation experts saying that data transmitting system for modern planes are outdated. Some have suggested having black boxes information to be 'live streamed'.

At the 5.30pm press conference on Sunday, Hishammuddin said that the search and rescue operations have “entered a new phase”.

“Everyday brings new angles… it has now significantly expanded. It now covers large tracks of land, crossing 11 countries as well as deep and remote oceans,” he said.

The 14 nations involved in the search, he said, have come up to 25 to search both the northern and southern corridors, an arc that stretches from the border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to northern Thailand, and a southern arc spans from Indonesia to the southern Indian Ocean.

These countries include: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and France.

“At 2pm today, we briefed 22 countries, including northern and southern areas, requesting satellite data, radar both primary and secondary, permission to do ground, sea and aerial search, assets as appropriate,” he said.