The Malaysian government has contacted Vietnam for confirmation that oil slicks, possibly related to Malaysian Airlines missing flight MH370, have been spotted in the South China Sea.
 
"Vietnamese authority have not informed us of the discovery. We read it in the news. We are asking, but we have not received a reply yet," Department of Civil Aviation director general Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said.
 
This follows news reports that two oil slicks has been spotted by Vietnamese authorities spotted off the southern most tip of Vietnam.
 
There is no indication that the slicks were related to MH370 but it was reported the oil was consistent with the fuel used by the Boeing 777-200.

Newswire Reuters quoted Vietnam vice-transportation minister Phan Quy Tieu as saying that Vietnam spotted oil slicks and a column of smoke about 250 kilometres west of Tho Chu island on the south of Vietnam.
 
He added that Vietnam has sent maritime and military boats out to the area to clarify what it spotted. It would take three to four hours to reach the area from the coast.
 
Azharuddin said that the DCA is not aware of any distress call picked up by the US military, as reported by a Chinese news outlet.
 
"We did not hear anything," he said, adding that the US military has committed support.
 
RMAF to search at night
 
Meanwhile, Royal Malaysian Airforce Operations and Exercise director Affendi Buang said that air search and rescue efforts will continue throughout the night.
 
"We have deployed aircraft with night search capabilities. It is not easy but it is possible using proper night systems.
 
"Our commitment is for the search to go around the clock until a decision is made," he said.

He added that the search will only be on the water's surface until more information is obtained.

 
The search has also been widened from the east coast of peninsula Malaysia, where the plane was last spotted on radar at 1.30am today, to the west coast.
 
This means the authorities plan to search the South China Sea, Penang Straits and the Malacca Straits.
 
Affendi said that the Chinese military, which reportedly pledged support, is not yet part of the search and rescue operations.
 
MAS' MH370 disappeared from radar screens at 1.30am about 120 nautical miles off Kota Bharu, at the Malaysian-Vietnamese airspace border.
 
It was carrying 239 passengers and crew, including 152 Chinese nationals and 38 Malaysians, and was scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 6.30am.