Vietnamese forces will expand their search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane towards the east of the initially suspected area on from tomorrow, with a hope of finding some trace of the plane, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Lt Gen Vo Van Tuan said today Vietnam sent two sea patrol aircraft from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to stand by for the search.

Vo commended the close coordination with Singapore and Malaysia, which worked together with Vietnam for the search and rescue.

Vietnam has also dispatched planes equipped with rescue means, observation equipment and lifebuoys from Tan Son Nhat International Airport to join the mission. After four hours of searching, no new finding was reported, VNA said.

Vietnamese reporters and their colleagues from foreign news agencies such as NHK, BBC, Reuters, AP, and the China Central Television (CCTV) are also on board the aircraft.

According to the National Committee for Search and Rescue, Vietnam had by this afternoon deployed eight aircraft and eight vessels for the search, which has been expanded to the north-east.

The Boeing 777-200 aircraft operated by Malaysia Airlines left KL  International Airport for Beijing at 12.41am on March 8, and lost contact at around 1.30am the same day.        

The aircraft was carrying 12 crew members and 227 passengers.

- Bernama