Philippines ready to provide further help for locate missing MH370

The Philippine government expressed Wednesday readiness to extend further assistance if needed to locate the missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 as it conveyed its sympathies to the families of the airplane passengers and crew members.[Special coverage]

In a statement, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that the Aquino administration expresses its solidarity with the governments and the people affected "during these unfortunate and trying times."

As a close neighbor and partner of Malaysia in Southeast Asia, DFA said the Philippines has closely coordinated with Malaysian authorities in the search efforts, including the dispatch of Philippine aircraft and vessels to assist in the search shortly after the incident was reported on March 8.

"It also continues to stand ready to provide further assistance if needed," the DFA said, adding that the Philippines lauds the assistance extended by the international community to locate the plane and its passengers and crew.

The ill-fated plane with 329 people aboard was en route from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Beijing, China when it disappeared from Malaysian radars at 2:15 a.m. on March 8 local time. Authorities were yet to locate the debris of the aircraft.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Monday night that MH370, which went missing more than two weeks ago, had plunged into southern Indian Ocean.