China sends 9 ships and 4 helicopters to join search

The Chinese government has dispatched nine ships and four helicopters to join the search and rescue.

The Chinese government has dispatched nine ships and four helicopters to join the search and rescue. More are likely to follow.

A massive search and rescue mission in full swing. At least nine ships are on the move. A vessel from China's shipping giant COSCO arrived Sunday morning, the first from China. But so far, the hunt has yielded nothing. A ship from the Chinese Coast Guard joined the mission Sunday noon.

"We now have four yachts, two for search and two for rescue," said Luo Jianxiong, Commander of China Coast Guard Boat 3411.

A team of experts in Beijing is closely monitoring the waters to provide information for the search efforts.

"People aboard are divided into six different teams, including searching, monitoring, medical support and others. We have especially strengthened the search on the sea," said Zhang Chunru, Shift foreman of China Coast Guard Command Center.

The Chinese navy has dispatched four ships, with at least 100 rescuers and a medical team on board. Two helicopters with rescue equipment were deployed Sunday afternoon And two more are on the way. As the mystery of the missing plane deepens, the search intensifies.