Right upon receiving the information on the missing of the Malaysia Airlines aircraft, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung directly instructed relevant forces and authorities to mobilise all means and take all measures necessary for the search and rescue work.

Speaking to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi over the phone on March 9, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh further said Vietnam’s national committee on search and rescue work is working round the clock and has established its southern command on Phu Quoc island near the place where the plane is believed to go missing.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also established a special team working round the clock with relevant authorities on the matter.

Minh affirmed Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry and other agencies stand ready to create every favourable condition and to join rescue forces of China and other countries concerned in search activities and subsequent work.

Vietnam has sent many craft and ships to the place and will mobilise more for the search and rescue work, he added.

For his part, Wang Yi expressed thanks from the Chinese government and people to the Vietnamese Government and people for their active and timely support, saying the Chinese side highly appreciates the measures Vietnam is taking.

China also hopes the Vietnamese side will continue facilitating the search and rescue work and allow Chinese rescue forces to join the activities, he said.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished from radar early on March 8 somewhere at sea between Malaysia and Vietnam about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur, bound for Beijing. A total of 239 people were on board, of whom 153 were Chinese nationals.-VNA