From Vietnam News: Two Vietnamese naval vessels on way for jet search

HCM CITY — Two Vietnamese vessels HQ 954 and HQ 637 from the Naval Zone 5 based in the southern province of Kien Giang left Phu Quoc Island at 3:30pm on March 8 to search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

The plane likely descended in a water area bordering with Malaysia , over 150 nautical miles to the south of Tho Chu Island, Phu Quoc district.

The vessels are expected to arrive at the area in the next 15 hours.

Earlier on 2:20pm, a vessel coded 2001 from the naval police zone 4 departed from Phu Quoc. It is scheduled to arrive at the scene at 7:00pm the same day for search.

Meanwhile, six planes from three countries have joined the search and rescue mission in the area 250km southwest of Vietnam's Ca Mau cape, according to Director of the Civil Aviation Authority Lai Xuan Thanh.

They include three from Malaysia , two from Vietnam and one from Singapore .

The Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200 took off from Malaysia 's capital Kuala Lumpur and was scheduled to land in Beijing , China at 6:30 on March 8 (local time).

Malaysia Airlines General Director Ahmad Jauhari Yahya told a press conference on March 8 that it lost contact with the Subang Air Traffic Control at 02:40 (local time) on March 8.

It was reported that at least 14 nationalities were among the 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board the missing plane. — VNA/VNS

News From Ho Chi MInh- Aircraft dispatched to search for missing Malaysian plane

HCM CITY — The Ministry of National Defence on the afternoon of March 8 dispatched an aircraft from Ho Chi Minh City 's Tan Son Nhat International Airport to search for a Malaysian plane that went missing in the area in the early hours of the morning.

The ministry is also ready to send helicopters, ships from the navy and the maritime police to aid the search and rescue effort if the AN 26 search aircraft detects the location of the missing plane, said Major General Pham Hoai Giang, Director of the ministry's Rescue Department.

Giang, who is also chief office of the National Committee for Search and Rescue, said his department prepared to aid the search immediately after receiving information that the Malaysia Airlines jet, carrying 239 people aboard from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, lost all contact at about 120 nautical miles southwest of Ca Mau cape in southernmost Vietnam.

The department has urged the Vietnam Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) to transmit update announcement to all vessels operating near the area so that they can join the rescue when needed.

The centre has been asked to coordinate with the Consular Department of the Foreign Ministry as well as the Defence Ministry's units in instructing on-duty vessels to follow Malaysia 's search and rescue activities and stand ready for the mission.

Colonel Luu Hoang Ha, Deputy Commander of the Border Guard of Ca Mau province, said the force has informed vessels operating at sea of the situation in order to keep track of the traces of the missing plane.

At present, all Ca Mau localities have prepared necessary conditions for the rescue, said Nguyen Thanh Luan, chief of the provincial People's Committee Office, adding that by 14:20 on March 8 ( Vietnam time), the location of the missing jet was yet to be identified.

Rear Admiral Ngo Van Phat, Political Commissar of the Naval Zone 5 in Phu Quoc island district, southern Kien Giang province, said his unit has also prepared necessary vessels and equipment for the rescue.

According to the MRCC, the Malaysian Boeing 777-200 left Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 16:42 UTC on March 7 (23:42 Vietnam time).

At 17:21 UTC (00:21 Vietnam time), the plane lost contact with the Subang Air Traffic Control at 06 o 56'N – 103 o 35'E over Malaysian waters, 120 nautical miles southwest of Vietnam's Ca Mau cape and 25 nautical miles south of the Vietnam-Malaysia overlapping sea borderline.

On board were 227 passengers and 12 crew members from 13 countries, including 158 Chinese people. — VNS