Malaysian Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said Wednesday that the preliminary report on the missing MH370 flight would be released Thursday.

He said the report would be similar to the one submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The minister said he would go to Australia next week to discuss the new phase of the search for the missing aircraft, as well as the financial aspect.

"But we don't know what the cost would be until we decide where to search, what assets are going to be used and who are going to supply those assets," he said, adding that three ministerial committees had been working on the matter.