The revelation that flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean is based on new analysis by UK investigators and the British satellite firm Inmarsat, Malaysia's prime minister has said.
Najib Razak said relatives of the flight's 239 passengers and crew had been told of the "heartbreaking" news.
Inmarsat used new techniques to find the plane's last position, he said.
The UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which probes serious civil aircraft incidents, was also involved.
The announcement came as the international search effort reached a fifth day of operations in the southern Indian Ocean.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on 8 March.
New way of modelling
Inmarsat has told the BBC it gave the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) the new data on Sunday - adding it needed to be checked before it was made public.
The firm said its latest calculation involved a large amount of data analysis, focusing on a number of factors including the movements of other aircraft.
It involved an entirely new way of modelling which is why the analysis took some time, the firm added.
Mr Razak told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur that works by the AAIB and Inmarsat revealed that MH370's last position was in the ocean west of Perth, Australia.
He said: "This is a remote location, far from any possible landing sites. It is therefore with deep sadness and regret that I must inform you that - according to this new data - flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean."
Speaking of the families of passengers and crew, he added: "For them, the past few weeks have been heartbreaking. I know this news must be harder still."
Mr Razak said a news conference would be held on Tuesday with further details.
source: bbc.com
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