Japan Self-Defence Force members wave to a plane departing Monday (April 28th) from Bullsbrooks, Australia for possibly the last Japanese air search mission for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. Authorities have scaled back the aerial search. [AFP/Australian Defence]

PERTH, Australia – The intensive air search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 officially ended Wednesday (April 30th) as the hunt was drastically scaled back, AFP reported.

Australian authorities said the focus would move "over the coming weeks" to an intensified undersea search.

Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, the United States, Britain and China have been involved in the unprecedented hunt.

Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang declined to specify whether China's aircraft were being withdrawn. The majority of the passengers on board the missing jet were Chinese.

Authorities Wednesday dismissed claims by a marine exploration company that material found in the Bay of Bengal could be from the airplane, missing since March 8th.