Malaysia's air force on Friday denied CNN reports that it scrambled search aircraft shortly after Malaysia Airlines reported the missing of MH370 early on March 8.

The CNN report, citing unnamed sources, also claimed the aircraft were scrambled before the authorities corroborated data indicating that the plane turned back westward, and the air force did not inform the Department of Civil Aviation or the authorities for search and rescue operations until three days later, March 11.

Malaysian Air Force Chief Rodzali Daud confirmed in a statement that the allegation of CNN was "totally false."

Prior to this statement, Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein's communications team also denied the CNN report on its twitter account, which was later retweeted by Hishammuddin on his official twitter account.