Air search teams scouring the ocean surface for debris from the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 suspended their operations on Tuesday due to harsh weather conditions.

A statement released by the search coordinating center said around 10 planes were supposed to scour the ocean over an area of 49,500 square kilometers but had to be grounded due to a tropical cyclone off the waters of Australia.

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The poor weather conditions would only render the air search ineffective and hazardous due to poor visibility and high seas, the statement added.

Naval search teams, however, will continue to operate with the robotic sub Bluefin21 completing its ninth 16-hour missions in tracking the wreckage.

About two-thirds of the 310 square kilometer seabed search zone have been covered by Bluefin-2 but no debris has been found so far.

The search team said Bluefin-21 will be able to finish its work next week.The search coordination center said the sonar scan of the seafloor in that area was expected to be completed sometime this week.

Meantime, Malaysian officials confirmed that they will begin issuing death certificates to the families of the missing plane's passengers and crew.

The significant move, while it saddened the distressed relatives, will allow them to avail of financial assistance.

It would also allow them start filing lawsuits against Malaysia Airlines.

The officials met with the relatives in Kuala Lumpur Monday to discuss the financial assistance.

Many relatives of the 239 people on board the missing plane were still clinging on to hope, no matter how faint, that the plane had not crashed in the ocean as earlier announced. 

Some believe that the plane was hijacked and their relatives were alive and being held captive somewhere.