VietNamNet Bridge – According to the latest information from the steering committee of the search of the Malaysian missing jet, Vietnam has had confirmation from Malaysia that the traces of the missing aircraft in Malacca Straits were only rumors.

A Vietnam's helicopter that is mobilized for the search.

Late afternoon yesterday, after Reuters reported that the last location where the signals from the missing plane were detected is the Straits of Malacca, Vietnam asked Malaysia to verify so that Vietnam can prepare the search plan for the next day. Until this morning, March 12, Vietnam received the answer from Malaysia.

Based on the information from Malaysia, the search will continue today, with the participation of seven planes and eight vessels.

The scope of search will be narrowed a little compared to the previous days, said Deputy Minister of Transport – Mr. Pham Quy Tieu on the morning of March 12.

On March 11, 31 ships joined the search, including 9 vessels of Vietnam, 9 of Malaysia, 6 of China, 3 of the US, 3 of Singapore and 1 of Thailand.

Also, 23 aircraft were mobilized, including 9 from Vietnam, four each from China, USA, Malaysia and 2 from Singapore.

Talking about Vietnam’s effort to search the missing plane in the last few days, Tieu said that "it is not entirely useless because the lives of passengers are very important." "We've tried our best under the government’s instruction, as a concerned member state," the deputy minister stressed.

Head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) Lai Xuan Thanh chaired a conference on March 11 afternoon to review and evaluate the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200ER flight MH370.

He called for closer cooperation between relevant CAAV agencies to ensure the effectiveness of rescue work and aviation safety and security in Vietnam.

CAAV agencies have been assigned specific tasks of preparing infrastructure and legacy post-rescue.

Also on March 11, the National Committee for Rescue and Research held a meeting to continue scouring for the missing Malaysian jet.

Senior Lieut. Gen. Do Ba Ty, Deputy Minister of National Defence, asked armed forces to join the search efforts.

He proposed extending the search to border areas between Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia and the eastern direction of the MH370 flight. He added it is essential that local residents also to take part in the search, which is being conducted round the clock.

Earlier, two hotlines were set up at the command office in Phu Quoc Island, southern Kien Giang province to promptly provide information relating to the search.

Deputy Minister of Transport Pham Quy Tieu told a March 11 press conference that Vietnamese forces will continue to widen the search area.

Accordingly, the search will be expanded to the east of the initially suspected area, 277 kilometres from Tho Chu Island in Kien Giang province, and the south and west of Con Dao Island, 185 kilometres off the coast of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

Tieu urged the deployment of more aircraft and naval ships for the operation, affirming that Vietnam will do its utmost to locate the missing jet.

He also asked Kien Giang province to continue calling on support from local fishermen to be vigilant in spotting any debris or floating objects that could be from a plane.

Phu Quoc International Airport is on alert to prepare any necessary human and material conditions and supplies for the rescue effort if required.

Source: VNN/VOV