The next 48 hours will be crucial in the underwater search for missing Malaysian Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 with the search area narrowed, said Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

In a press conference today, he said whatever happens in that period, the search team will then regroup and discuss their next move.

Hishammuddin also denied claims by certain media that the mapping of the seabed in the search would take six weeks to two months.