Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Sen. Lt. Gen Do Ba Ty said the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet may prolong, so a long-term plan is needed to keep up the efforts.

Sen. Lt. Gen Ty held a working session with the chief of the Defence Ministry’s Search and Rescue Department Gen. Pham Hoai Giang, who is also chief of the office of the National Committee for Search and Rescue, in Hanoi on March 11.

He instructed that search teams continue to expand the scope of the search to the east and the west of the initially suspected area, and on mainland also, focusing on Military Zones 5, 7, 9 and areas along the border with Cambodia, particularly remote, mountainous and sparsely-populated areas.

The officer also suggested greater public involvement in the efforts.

At the same time, he requested relevant Vietnamese units to work closely with their foreign peers in the search.

Earlier the same day, the Defence Ministry ordered Military Zones 5,7,9, the Border Guard High Command, the Navy High Command and maritime police to gather information about the case.

Units bordering with Cambodia and Laos must keep close coordination with these countries to acquire the latest information, and send to the Defence Ministry for verification.-VNA