Safety body joins flight probe

Australia has been invited to join the investigation team looking into the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, which disappeared almost a month ago.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak confirmed yesterday that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau would be a fully accredited member of the investigation.

The announcement came at a joint news conference with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who declared the search "the most difficult ever undertaken".

"This is an extraordinarily difficult time for Malaysia and Prime Minister Razak," Mr Abbott said.

"We have the best brains in the world working on the search and we have a high degree of confidence."

He said that small pieces "of the jigsaw were coming together".

"We are throwing everything at it and we have the technical capacity to get the best possible outcome," Mr Abbott said.

Mr Najib said the commitment of search crews would not be forgotten and that any differences between the 26 nations involved in the search had been set aside.

"They have searched through stormy seas and freezing fog . . . we owe them each a debt of gratitude," he said.

"The disappearance of MH370 has tested our collective resolve. I believe the courage of the crews is more than equal to the task."

Mr Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor met Danica Weeks and her two children to express her sympathy.

Mrs Weeks' husband Paul, a 39-year-old mechanical engineer, was travelling on MH370 on his way to a new job in Mongolia. Mrs Weeks said that she was amazed that Mrs Rosmah took the time to see her. "I walked away with such comfort," Mrs Weeks said.

_The West Australian _ understands that three Boeing 747 freighters are being prepared to fly submersible equipment to Perth to assist with the search.