China to expand search area for missing jet to the east and west

A helicopter takes off from the Chinese naval vessel Jianggangshan to carry out search at the possible crash site of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, March 13, 2014. (Xinhua/Gan Jun)

China will expand the search area for the missing jet in the coming days, authorities said on Friday.  [Special coverage]

The search will be expanded to the east and west, with intensive search in the east region and enhanced efforts in the southeast from Saturday, according to the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center.

It will also augment logistics support and arrange search rotations of different vessels, said He Jianzhong, director of the center.

Eight Chinese vessels had searched 70,078 square kilometers of the sea's surface as of 18 p.m. Friday, covering 6,846.3 square kilometers of waters underneath. No confirmed debris has been found.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, a Boeing 777-200ER, suddenly went missing on its way to Beijing last Saturday morning shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur. The plane was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, including 154 Chinese.

Search and rescue operations by many nations have failed to find any trace of the plane.