KUALA LUMPUR, March 12 -- Multinational search operation to locate missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been expanded to two areas with more countries joining in the mission, a Malaysian official said here Wednesday.

The search areas for the missing jet carrying 239 people have been expanded to the Strait of Malacca and South China Sea, acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Bin Tun Hussein told a press conference.

Forty-two ships and 39 aircraft have been deployed so far in hunt for the Boeing 777-200 plane with the involvement of 12 countries, he said.

India, Japan and Brunei were the latest to join in a massive search mission which already entered the fifth day.

Flight MH370 carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew vanished early Saturday on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing after losing contact with air traffic control in waters between Malaysia and Vietnam. However, no trace of the plane have been found.

Earlier on Wednesday, Malaysia's air force chief Gen. Rodzali Daud denied report that military radar had tracked MH370 flying over the Strait of Malacca.

But he said the air force did not ruled out the possibility that the aircraft turned back before it vanished from radar screens.

This resulted in the search and rescue operation being widened to the waters off the west coast of Malay peninsula, he said.