Missing MH370: Bangladesh joins search, India intensifies efforts

NEW DELHI: Bangladesh has joined the search and rescue (SAR) mission for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

"Bangladesh patrol aircraft will be launched at dawn while ships tomorrow," sources close to the development told Bernama.

"All of Bangladesh's available resources will be deployed to assist Malaysia," said the source, who did not want to be quoted.

Among the first to join the mission would be two patrol aircraft and two frigates.

"We will begin seaching in the Bay of Bengal and coordinate with your (Malaysian) navy to seach the Indian Ocean," he said.

It is understood that the help from Bangladesh is an initiative from the office of Malaysia's Special Envoy to India and South Asia, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

The SAR mission for MH370 has entered the seventh day.

There are currently 57 ships and 48 aircraft in the search. Thirteen countries are now involved and with Bangladesh, it will be 14.

Meanwhile, India has intensified efforts to locate the missing Malaysia Airlines MH370, with the deployment of additional naval and air assets at an expanded area in the central and east Bay of Bengal.

Entering its third day, Indian search efforts saw the deployment of two recently-acquired P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft of the Indian Navy and one C130 J aircraft of the Indian Air Force in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the Indian Defence Ministry said in a statement here Saturday.

The Short Range Maritime Reconnaissance Dornier aircraft of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard have also been extensively deployed for the ongoing search operations.

Six ships (three each from the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard) have been deployed, with Indian Navy ships 'Kesari' and 'Saryu' continuing their search as part of a multinational group in the Andaman Sea.

In addition to Coast Guard ships 'Kanaklata Barua' and 'Bhikaji Cama' in the Andaman Sea, 'CGS Sagar' has also been tasked to undertake the search in the Melaka Strait.

Flight MH370, carrying 227 passengers, including five Indian citizens and 12 crew, went missing en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing about an hour after taking off from the KL International Airport at 12.41am Saturday.

It should have landed in Beijing at 6.30 am the same day. - Bernama