‘Credible lead’ shifts jet search area

Australian authorities say the search area for the missing Malaysian airliner has shifted because of a “new credible lead.”

The revised search area comes as the weather cleared Friday in the southern Indian Ocean to allow planes to hunt for fresh clues to the fate of the plane that went missing on March 8, the Associated Press news agency reported.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it shifted the search 1,100 kms to the north after receiving a lead based on updated advice provided by an international investigation team in Malaysia.

The new area is 319,000 sq kms and about 1,850 kms west of Perth.

Australian officials have “examined this advice and determined that this is the most credible lead to where debris may be located,” the AMSA said.