Apart from some comments on the fresh lead from satellite images, acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein's daily briefing held little new information regarding the disappearance of MH370.

With the search and rescue mission having entered into its 13th day, the briefings are also becoming noticeably shorter in duration, and the media's main focus this evening was also on the new development announced by Australia this morning.

He confirmed that thus far, countries relevant to the search have been forthcoming with relevant data, dismissing suggestions that some countries are holding back.

He also confirmed that search efforts in the "northern corridor" - stretching from northern Thailand to Kazakhstan - will still go on despite the ongoing spotlight on Australia's finds.

Australian authorities have confirmed that satellite imagery had shown a possible piece of plane debris in the Indian Ocean, about 2,500km from Perth.

However, Hishammuddin warned that more information is needed before committing more assets in the search, because similar images from China recently had proved erroneous.

The Air France 447 experience

Responding to a question on the possibility of a catastrophic event taking place mid-flight, Hishammuddin repeatedly stressed on the importance of recovering the black box to shed light on this.

On the same note, the minister underscored the difficulty of the task, citing the Air France 447 crash in 2009.

"As for the Air France black box, it took two years to locate," he said, adding that if the objects captured by the satellite in the Indian Ocean are confirmed to be debris from the MH370, then a multinational effort would have to be mounted to track down the black box.

The disappearance of the Beijing-bound Boeing 777-200ER with 239 people on board had spawned a slew of conspiracy theories that ranged from hijack to suicide, with others bordering on the bizarre and supernatural.

Asked why he repeatedly cited the Air France 447 incident, Hishammuddin explained that it was because of the time-frame involved in locating the aircraft.

Investigators with experience in the search for the Air France 447 are currently in Malaysia to provide assistance.

'I feel their anguish'

Meanwhile, Hishammuddin, in response to another question, said that he could feel the anguish of those whose loved ones were on the plane.

"I feel for them, they are dealing with raw emotions... We can only try to understand what they are going through," he said, once again referring to the Air France incident and how investigators had to attend to family members for a period of two years.

Yesterday, angry relatives had stormed the media briefing demanding that Malaysian authorities reveal more information.

Asked if he was "embarassed" about the incident, Hishammuddin replied: "I already expressed our regret yesterday and an investigation is underway."

MAS CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said relatives are currently being briefed between two to three times a day by company officials on the same information that is being shared during the daily press briefings.

Hishammuddin also confirmed that the high-level team of Malaysian officials, comprising military personnel and representatives from the prime minister's office, will head for Beijing today to speak to relatives of Chinese nationals.